The provincial government has adopted Pacific Time (PST) to add an extra hour of daylight during winter evenings. However, sleep experts raise concerns that the time change could cause potential health risks and other changes to the population.
“British Columbians have been clear that seasonal time changes do not work for them,” said Premier David Eby. “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.”
During the summer of 2019, the provincial government conducted an online survey about the daylight saving time change. Out of 223,000 participants, 93 per cent supported using year-round Daylight Saving Time (DST), also known as Pacific time (PCT). Additionally, more than 90 per cent of industry and occupation groups supported the change to DST.
Keeping the clock in the Pacific time zone eliminates the biannual disruptions to sleep patterns, school schedules and daily routines. More light during winter evenings would support commuting, socialization, leisure time, outdoor activities, and economic activity.
In business, it reduces the need to reprogram systems, shift schedules, and perform an operational reset in spring and fall for small businesses and service providers. Additionally, it provides more consistent planning across transportation and technology services.
“This shift offers more stability, supports public well-being and reduces twice-yearly, unnecessary disruptions to the routines of parents, shift workers, small businesses, pet owners and so many more,” said Niki Sharma, Attorney General. “I look forward to all of us enjoying an extra hour of sunlight after work and school for many winters to come.”
Even so, researchers in British Columbia warn that keeping the clock on DST instead of changing it back to permanent Standard Time (ST) could pose health risks and affect students’ performance and productivity.
Ralph Mistlberger, a psychology professor at Simon Fraser University and sleep expert, and other researchers released an analysis concluding that moving to permanent Standard Time would be healthier, as it better aligns with the body’s natural rhythm. The study is published in the Canadian Medical Association Journal.
Mistlberger said darker mornings disrupt circadian rhythms (the body’s natural 24-hour clock), potentially leading to sleep deprivation and associated health issues. Inconsistent sleep can cause “social jet lag,” where someone’s life and social calendar are out of sync with their biological clock.
“You’re actually waking up at an earlier circadian phase. Your clock may still be telling your brain and your body that this is the sleep period. It’s not time to wake up yet,” said Mistlberger in an OHS Canada article. “The same is going to happen in the evening. [Your internal clock is] going to be telling you this is still the wake period; it’s not time to go to bed yet.”
While small amounts of sleep deprivation can be fixed with a long nap, if the issue continues, it can develop into a chronic condition and lead to other health problems like metabolic disorders (obesity and diabetes) and cardiovascular diseases. Epidemiological studies of large populations point to an increase in cancer and mood disorders.
Patric Baylis, a professor at UBC's Vancouver School of Economics and co-author of the analysis, said one of the biggest concerns is how it will affect students going to school in the dark.
A study in Florida found that an extra hour of sunlight before school led to higher math and reading scores among adolescent students. Baylis said starting school later or making schedules more flexible could help offset the lack of natural light in the morning.
RCMP Reserve Cst. Gary O’Brien in Nanaimo said the time change could lead to more pedestrian crashes. In complete or partial darkness, children are expected to wear bright, reflective clothing when heading to class to increase their visibility to drivers.
O’Brien says drivers should be more attentive and drive more slowly, while pedestrians should wear reflective clothing and make eye contact with drivers when crossing the street, as both parties are responsible for reducing potential accidents.
Even if most of the province switches to DST, some places will still turn back the hour.
The Canada Border Services Agency (CBSA) announced that clocks at nine border crossings in the province will switch to permanent Standard Time. The change will happen on Nov. 1 and last until Mar. 14 of next year.
“These adjustments in hours of operation will allow for better coordination between Canada and the U.S., including in cases where a traveller is inadmissible and is directed to return immediately to the country they came from. It will also mean greater clarity for all travellers as to when the ports of entry are operating,” said CBSA in a news release.
People in northeastern B.C. (Peace River region and the northern Rocky Mountains) will continue to use Mountain Standard Time (MST) (UTC-7) annually.
In southeastern B.C. (East Kootenay), people will switch between MST and Mountain Daylight Time (MDT) in line with Alberta. On Nov. 1, Alberta will not switch times and will use MDT.
The legislation to remove the twice-a-year change was first introduced in 2019 by then-Premier John Horgan as the Interpretation Amendment Act, the legal framework that allowed the province to adopt the PCT. At the time, the provincial government chose not to implement it to coordinate the time change with neighbouring U.S. states.
However, Premier David Eby brought the amendment into effect on March 8 of this year, as part of the province’s plan to become more independent of the U.S. during the ongoing trade war.
“We’re also going to make decisions right now where British Columbia decides what’s best for us,” said Premier David Eby.
The government is working closely with organizations, small businesses, and public-sector partners to ensure a smooth, coordinated transition to PCT.
While adopting the Pacific time zone will give British Columbians an extra hour in the winter evening for recreation and outdoor activity, Mistlberger said educating people on the potential health risks is vital.
“You want to get as much light exposure as you can as early as possible on the day when you go outside. So, even though the sunrise is going to be later than usual, it’s going to help you to get outside as soon as there is some sunrise,” said Mistlberger.
