‘Another step’: B.C. premier pleased U.S. Senate approves Daylight Saving motion

B.C. Premier John Horgan says he’s happy the U.S. Senate has unanimously approved a motion to make Daylight Saving Time permanent, calling it another step to ending the bi-annual time changes.

Americans don’t write the laws in Canada, but they can certainly influence them. Horgan has indicated the big stumbling block to ending DST changes in B.C. is our neighbours to the south.

“For British Columbians who have just had to cope with the disruptions of changing the clocks, this brings us another step toward ending the time changes permanent,” Horgan wrote on Twitter Tuesday.

However, there is still a lot of constitutional process between Monday’s action on the Sunshine Protection Act and clocks actually remaining the same year-round. The U.S. House of Representatives and the president still to need to approve it before it becomes law.

Related article: Daylight Saving time change has many feeling a little off

Daylight Saving Time kicked in on Sunday.

Before the pandemic, legislation was passed in B.C. to stop setting the clocks back, but it will not be enacted until Washington, Oregon, and California do it first.

“British Columbians said loud and clear they want to stop falling back and springing forward, with 93 per cent of indicating support in a record-breaking public engagement,” reads a statement from the B.C. Premier’s Office. “That’s why we passed legislation that would enable us to do so quickly, with our intention to stay aligned with the western states of Washington, Oregon and California, as supported by a majority of survey respondents.

“While the bill still requires congressional approval before it can go to President Biden to sign, we’re well positioned in B.C. to do away with the time changes once and for all and move to permanent DST.”

Pleased to see progress on this from Washington, DC.

For British Columbia families who have just had to cope with the disruptions of changing the clocks, this brings us another step toward ending the time changes permanently. ⏰https://t.co/w581qVCnuI

— John Horgan (@jjhorgan) March 15, 2022

Only Yukon and most of Saskatchewan observe permanent daylight time and did not change their clocks with the rest of the country at 2 a.m. local on March 13.

B.C. is set to return to standard time on Nov. 6.