Science & Tech · Science & Environment · 8 hrs ago
Year-round daylight time brings darker winter mornings to parts of Canada
Starting Nov.
1, British Columbia, Alberta, Manitoba, the Northwest Territories and parts of northwestern Ontario will keep daylight time year-round instead of changing their clocks twice a year.
Saskatchewan and Yukon already keep fixed time, while much of eastern and Atlantic Canada will continue seasonal clock changes.
The change means later sunsets in winter, but sunrise will also come an hour later, so some places may not see daylight until around 9 a.m.
Supporters value brighter evenings and avoiding the disruption of clock changes, but experts warn that dark morning commutes could affect safety and sleep, especially for students, early-shift workers and people with sleep disorders.
Research cited by experts links too little sleep with health risks and has found lower productivity, school attendance and grades in places with very late sunrises.
Researchers recommend brighter light in the morning, safer pedestrian routes and later school start times; individuals can also limit screen use before bed.
British Columbia, Alberta, Manitoba, the Northwest Territories and parts of northwestern Ontario will adopt year-round daylight time beginning Nov. 1.
The change means clocks will no longer be adjusted seasonally in those areas, and winter sunrises will come later.
Experts warn that darker winter mornings could affect sleep, health, safety and productivity.
Supporters favour later evening daylight and avoiding the disruption of twice-yearly clock changes.
Saskatchewan and Yukon already keep their clocks fixed year-round, while much of eastern Canada will continue changing clocks.
- Who
- People in British Columbia, Alberta, Manitoba, the Northwest Territories and parts of northwestern Ontario. Saskatchewan and Yukon already keep fixed time year-round.
- What
- These areas are adopting year-round daylight time, ending seasonal clock changes.
- When
- The change begins Nov. 1, 2026.
- Where
- Western Canada, including British Columbia, Alberta, Manitoba, the Northwest Territories and parts of northwestern Ontario.
- Why
- Supporters want later evening daylight and no twice-yearly clock adjustments. Experts warn the change may bring health and safety costs from darker mornings.
Supporters of year-round daylight time
Researchers warning about its effects
Evening daylight
Supporters of year-round daylight time
Supporters value an extra hour of light after work for activities such as seeing family, exercising and shopping.
Researchers warning about its effects
Researchers warn that later winter sunrises mean darker commutes for workers and students.
Clock changes
Supporters of year-round daylight time
Supporters want to avoid the disruption of adjusting clocks twice a year.
Researchers warning about its effects
The paper’s authors say the harms of permanent daylight time are likely to be chronic, even if ending clock adjustments removes short-lived transition harms.
Saskatchewan stopped observing time changes.
British Columbia announced its decision to make daylight time permanent.
Leaders in Alberta, Manitoba, parts of northwestern Ontario and the Northwest Territories also chose permanent daylight time.
The affected areas are due to end seasonal clock changes and keep daylight time year-round.
- Start date
- Nov. 1, 2026
- Areas changing
- British Columbia, Alberta, Manitoba, Northwest Territories and parts of northwestern Ontario
- Vancouver sunrise
- 9:07 a.m. on New Year’s Day
- Edmonton sunrise
- 9:50 a.m. on Jan. 1
- Saskatchewan
- Stopped observing time changes in 1966
- Yukon
- Stopped observing time changes in 2020
3 sources
What people are saying
It’s about making life easier for families, reducing disruptions for businesses and supporting a stable, thriving economy
Those warm evenings with the sun setting at 10 p.m., they fill us with this good feeling. Why wouldn’t you vote for that, without any other information?
Ending biannual clock adjustments may eliminate transition harms that last a few weeks, but the health effects of permanent [daylight] time are likely to be chronic.