Clocks across Canada to jump forward, but U.S. could consign time change to history

VANCOUVER – Most Canadians will wind their clocks forward an hour tonight, but legislation in the United States that could put an end to the seasonal time change is also moving ahead.

U.S. Sen. Marco Rubio last week reintroduced the Sunshine Protection Act that would allow states to make daylight time permanent.

If passed, the law would have knock-on effects across Canada with provinces including British Columbia and Ontario waiting on neighbouring U.S. states to ditch the time change before they do so too.

B.C. Premier David Eby says the province wants to remain “in sync” with West Coast American states and he’s “very much looking forward to getting rid of daylight saving time.”

The U.S. bill, first proposed in 2018, has repeatedly failed to get through both chambers of Congress, and last March it stalled in the House without a vote.

University of British Columbia business professor Werner Antweiler says the latest version of the bill has bipartisan backing and if it passes, B.C.’s time change at 2 a.m. Sunday morning may be its last.

Most provinces as well as the territories of Nunavut and the Northwest Territories will move their clocks ahead one hour early Sunday.

Yukon and most of Saskatchewan keep their clocks the same year-round. Yukon made the switch for the last time in March 2020, and standard time is now permanent there.

This report by The Canadian Press was first published March 11, 2023.