British Columbia officially announced this week that it is ditching the biannual changing of the clocks in favor of permanent daylight saving time.
The Canadian province announced it will end seasonal time changes within its borders because of the reported benefits to people’s physical and mental health, businesses’ schedules, and the consistency of transportation and technology services. The logistics of the plan are largely simple: once the Western Canadians move their clocks forward this spring, they won’t be moving them ever again.
“For the majority of people in B.C. there are no immediate actions,” the province’s government said in a press release. “Many clocks will automatically ‘spring forward’ an hour as usual on Sunday, March 8, 2026. On Nov. 1, 2026, when previously clocks would have been turned back an hour, no change will be made, and the adjustment will not be required.”
British Columbia has said the logistics will not come into effect until November and assured the province that “people and businesses will have eight months to prepare” for the change.
Premier David Eby, head of the government of British Columbia, celebrated the decision as one that “means more sunshine and better sleep” for his citizens.
“Every parent knows that changing clocks twice a year causes a significant amount of chaos in already busy lives,” Eby said. “British Columbians have been clear that seasonal time changes do not work for them. This decision isn’t just about clocks. It’s about making life easier for families, reducing disruptions for businesses, and supporting a stable, thriving economy.”
In a survey of 223,000 residents in 2019, 93% of provincial residents said they wanted to see the clocks stay still with the extra hour of sunlight. On the economic front, over 90% of employees from across all industries and “nearly all” occupational groups supported the change.
The provincial government passed the framework enabling the reform in 2019, but did not move forward with implementing the plan until this year. Eby’s office noted that the government did not initially proceed with the move because it wanted to remain on a schedule consistent with its neighboring U.S. states. The move to change the clock came after relations between the United States and Canada deteriorated.
“Recent actions from the U.S. have shifted how B.C. approaches decisions that merit alignment, including on time zones,” the government’s press release read. “Making this change now reflects the current preferences and needs of British Columbians, and helps ensure the province is well-positioned to thrive, even when circumstances across the border evolve.”
The Canadian government has sparred with the Trump administration throughout the past year, largely over tariffs, causing a rift between the two longtime allies. The rivalry has also extended into the sports world, with many eyes watching the recent men’s and women’s gold-medal Olympic hockey games between the two neighboring countries.
‘LOCK THE CLOCK’ MOVEMENT AGAINST SEASONAL TIME CHANGE GETS MAHA BOOST
Eby said in his statement that he hopes the country’s “American neighbours will soon join us in ending disruptive time changes.”
The U.S. currently does not change its clocks in the following areas, according to the Department of Transportation: Hawaii, American Samoa, Guam, Northern Mariana Islands, Puerto Rico, the Virgin Islands, and most of Arizona. If any states want to reject the clock change, the federal government must first give them the go-ahead.