BC stays on daylight time year-round

Summary#

• This bill would keep British Columbia on Pacific Daylight Time all year.

• It ends the twice‑a‑year clock change. The province would not “fall back” in November anymore.

• Key changes:

  • Clocks stay one hour ahead of today’s winter time, year‑round.
  • Winter sunrises would be about one hour later; winter sunsets about one hour later.
  • From November to early March, B.C. would be one hour ahead of Washington, Oregon, and California.
  • In winter, B.C. would be 2 hours behind Toronto and Montreal (instead of the usual 3); in summer, the 3‑hour difference stays the same.
  • Takes effect once it becomes law; the change to permanent summer time would start with the next second Sunday in March and then continue without ending.

What it means for you#

• Residents and workers

  • No more changing clocks in spring and fall.
  • Brighter evenings in winter; darker mornings in winter (many places could see sunrise after 9 a.m.).
  • Morning routines may feel harder in the darkest months; evenings may feel safer and more convenient for errands and sports.

• Parents and students

  • School commutes in mid‑winter would be darker.
  • After‑school activities would have more daylight in winter.

• Businesses and employees

  • Fewer schedule changes and less confusion around clock‑change weeks.
  • From November to early March, B.C. would be one hour ahead of the U.S. West Coast. Cross‑border calls, deliveries, TV, and livestreams would need adjusted times.
  • Winter business with Eastern Canada would start one hour later than today (for example, the Toronto stock market open would be at 7:30 a.m. in B.C., not 6:30).

• Travelers and cross‑border shoppers

  • In winter months, crossing to Washington State would mean moving clocks back one hour.
  • Flight, ferry, and train times may shift relative to nearby provinces and U.S. states in winter.

• Communities that already stay on one time year‑round

  • Areas of B.C. that have kept the same clock year‑round at UTC‑7 would align with the rest of the province all year.

Expenses#

No publicly available information.

Proponents' View#

• Stops the spring and fall clock changes that disrupt sleep and cause confusion.
• Gives more evening daylight in winter for shopping, dining, and recreation.
• May reduce accidents and errors tied to the clock change.
• Aligns the whole province on a single year‑round time, matching places in B.C. and Yukon that already use the same offset.
• Keeps B.C. in step with the U.S. West Coast for most of the year (March through early November).

Opponents' View#

• Darker winter mornings could raise safety concerns for children walking or busing to school.
• Many sleep and health experts prefer permanent standard time, not permanent daylight time, for healthier sleep.
• Winter misalignment with Washington, Oregon, and California could make trade, travel, media, and sports scheduling more complicated.
• Northern and rural areas would see very late winter sunrises, which may be hard for outdoor work and daily routines.