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Border Time Options Act

Full Title:
The Time Act, 2026

Summary#

This bill sets the official time for Saskatchewan and creates a way for certain border areas to follow the time of a neighbouring province. The default time for the province remains Central Standard Time (UTC−6) all year. Cabinet can create “time option areas” along the border that use UTC−5, UTC−6, or UTC−7 for all or part of the year to match nearby jurisdictions.

Key changes:

  • Saskatchewan’s official time is Central Standard Time, unless a border “time option area” is approved.
  • Cabinet may set a time option area by regulation if it is in the provincial interest, after required local consultations.
  • A time option area must be next to the provincial border and meant to follow a neighbour’s time (for example, Alberta or Manitoba).
  • Any approved change must specify the area, the time to be used, any start/end dates (if seasonal), and a start date at least 30 days after the regulation takes effect, with public notice before it starts.
  • The Act applies across Saskatchewan, including the City of Lloydminster, and overrides conflicting laws unless regulations say otherwise.
  • The old Time Act is repealed, and a reference in The Election Act, 1996 is updated. The new Act starts on a date set by Cabinet.

What it means for you#

  • General public in most of Saskatchewan

    • Day-to-day time does not change: the province continues on Central Standard Time (UTC−6) year-round, unless you live in a designated time option area.
    • There is no automatic shift to daylight saving time province-wide.

  • Residents and businesses in border communities

    • Your area could be designated as a time option area to match a neighbouring province’s time for all or part of the year (for example, aligning with Alberta’s or Manitoba’s seasonal clock changes).
    • If that happens, you would change clocks according to the schedule set in the regulation for your area. You will get at least 30 days’ notice before a change takes effect.
    • Daily schedules, store hours, appointment times, school and work start times, and transportation schedules may need updates to reflect the local time.

  • Municipalities near the border

    • To request a time option area, all municipalities within the proposed area must send a written request to the minister. The minister must also consult, including with any First Nations in the area.
    • The minister can also start consultations without a municipal request.
    • If approved, the regulation will define the area, the time to be observed, and any dates when that time applies.

  • First Nations within proposed areas

    • The minister must consult with any First Nations in a proposed time option area. The Act does not say that consent is required, only that consultation must occur.

  • City of Lloydminster

    • This Act applies to Lloydminster and can override its usual special rules on time. A regulation could also set Lloydminster (or part of it) as a time option area to match a neighbour’s time. The bill does not state what will be done; it only enables options.

  • Provincial agencies, schools, and services

    • They will follow Central Standard Time except in any designated time option areas, where they would follow the time set for that area. Cross-area coordination may need schedule adjustments.

  • Everyone

    • Any approved time option area and its effective dates will be posted publicly (for example, on the ministry’s website) before it takes effect.

Expenses#

No publicly available information.

  • Possible government costs include consultations, drafting and enforcing regulations, public communications, and updates to systems and maps.
  • Municipalities and local public services in a time option area may face one-time and ongoing costs to adjust schedules, signage, IT systems, and staff routines.
  • Businesses in time option areas may need to update operating hours, payroll systems, and scheduling to reflect local time, especially if the time changes part of the year.

Proponents' View#

  • The bill appears intended to keep a single, clear default time across Saskatchewan (Central Standard Time) while giving border areas flexibility to match neighbouring provinces when that serves local needs.
  • Allowing time option areas could reduce confusion for cross‑border workers, students, health care users, and businesses by aligning local time with nearby services and markets.
  • Required consultations with municipalities and First Nations, and at least 30 days’ notice before changes take effect, could be seen as improving transparency and predictability.
  • Repealing and replacing the older Time Act may modernize the law and make it easier to manage transitions, publish information, and handle special situations through regulations.

Opponents' View#

  • One concern is that creating multiple time option areas could produce a patchwork of times within the province, which may confuse residents, visitors, and service providers who operate across areas.
  • The bill does not define “provincial interest,” so it is unclear what standards will be used to approve or reject a time option area.
  • The process requires all municipalities in a proposed area to request the change, which could make local alignment difficult even if most, but not all, agree. Conversely, minister‑initiated consultations could lead to changes without full local consensus.
  • Regulations made under this Act can override other laws for listed purposes, which may raise questions about checks and balances and how conflicts with other Acts will be handled.
  • Implementation details are limited. It is unclear how costs for signage, systems updates, and public outreach will be managed, or how emergency services and province‑wide programs will coordinate across different local times.