OTTAWA — Canada’s time-zone system is becoming increasingly complicated as more provinces abandon the twice-yearly ritual of changing their clocks, with Manitoba becoming the latest jurisdiction to adopt permanent daylight time.
Manitoba joins British Columbia, Alberta and the Northwest Territories in ending seasonal clock changes, while Yukon made the switch in 2020 and Saskatchewan has largely avoided the practice for decades.
While the changes mean residents in those jurisdictions no longer have to adjust their clocks every spring and fall, they are creating unusual differences along provincial boundaries. Northwestern Ontario, including Kenora, currently follows the same time as Manitoba. Manitoba’s change means that during winter, Kenora will be one hour behind both Winnipeg to the west and Thunder Bay to the east.
Canada already has several regional exceptions. Parts of southeastern British Columbia follow Alberta’s time arrangements, Labrador follows Atlantic Time rather than Newfoundland Time, and Nunavut spans three time zones. Northern Quebec’s Nunavik region has also moved to permanent daylight time.
Ontario passed legislation in 2020 allowing the province to end twice-yearly clock changes, but implementation was conditional on Quebec and New York making similar changes.
The issue is also moving south of the border. The U.S. House of Representatives has passed legislation proposing permanent daylight time nationwide, with the measure now requiring Senate consideration. New York state lawmakers are also considering changes.
As more jurisdictions adopt permanent time systems independently, Canadians travelling or doing business across provincial borders may need to pay closer attention to the clock, particularly during the winter months.