Stop the Time Change proponents look to new B.C. premier for action

Now that British Columbians have “sprung” forward into Daylight Saving Time, those against changing the clock twice a year are hoping the province’s new premier will take action.

Organizers with Stop the Time Change BC are urging people to email Premier David Eby, saying they want to “fill his inbox with lots of messages to read on Monday.”

“Prior to Covid John Horgan said he received more correspondence on this issue than any other. Our bodies are headed to DST this weekend and will be there all the way to November,” a post on the group’s Facebook from earlier this week reads.

“Falling back for such a short time (4 months and a bit) is unnecessary.”

The group has been vocal for years, citing various studies about crashes, injuries, and other conditions linked to “sleep pattern change that the biannual shift mandates.”

Only the Yukon and most of Saskatchewan observe permanent daylight time and don’t change their clocks with the rest of the country. Times in other provinces changed at 2 a.m. local time Sunday.

Time change was a popular topic for Horgan when he was premier. He had pushed for an end to the practice from the time he took office.

Legislation was passed in B.C. four years ago to allow the province to permanently stay on daylight time. However, at the time, Horgan said any change would depend on Washington, Oregon, and California doing the same.

In Ontario, Premier Doug Ford has said a switch would require New York state to also ditch the time change, while Quebec Premier François Legault has said he is open to making daylight time permanent.

Though Horgan is no longer premier, the subject hasn’t waned for many. And now, it appears B.C. is closer than ever to getting rid of the semi-annual time change.

Related articles: 

• How close is B.C. to getting rid of daylight saving time change?

• Canadian time changes may be a thing of the past if U.S. passes ‘sunshine’ law

• Daylight saving time negatively impacts our health: Expert

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

The Sunshine Protection Act, spearheaded by Florida Senator Marco Rubio, has been reintroduced in the U.S. Though the legislation has repeatedly failed since Rubio first tried in 2018, it has seen growing support recently from lawmakers and the American public.

Eby has assured this is all still on his radar.

“There were business concerns about us being on a different time zone from our major trading partner to the south, which is our sole reason for pause here, to make sure we don’t have unintended economic impacts,” he said.

The Canadian Centre for Occupational Health and Safety has said losing sleep over the time change may increase workplace injuries. ICBC has, in the past, also reported higher driving risks on the first Monday after clocks jump forward.

-With files from Mike Lloyd