British Columbia has announced that it will abandon daylight saving time, adopting year-round daylight time beginning March 2027. The decision ends over seven decades of seasonal clock changes across the province and aligns with growing scientific evidence about the health benefits of maintaining a consistent time schedule.
Premier David Eby announced the decision today, stating that the move reflects growing evidence about the benefits of consistent timekeeping for public health, productivity, and safety.
“Ending the twice-yearly clock changes is backed by science and supported by British Columbians,” Eby said. “By adopting permanent daylight time, we’re prioritizing the health and well-being of our citizens while supporting economic activity and safety.”
The transition will occur on the second Sunday of March 2027, when British Columbia will move to daylight time and remain there year-round. Clocks will not revert to standard time in the fall, maintaining the later sunset schedule throughout the winter months.
The decision comes after extensive consultation with health professionals, business groups, indigenous leaders, and the public. A government survey conducted in 2025 found that approximately 70% of British Columbians supported moving to year-round daylight time.
“The research is clear,” said Dr. Robert Chen, Sleep Medicine Specialist at the University of British Columbia. “Permanent daylight time aligns better with human circadian rhythms. The spring transitions are associated with increased heart attacks and accidents, while fall transitions disrupt sleep patterns. A consistent schedule is healthier.”
Public safety data supports the health assessment. Research across multiple jurisdictions has documented increased motor vehicle accidents and workplace injuries in the days following the spring clock advance. Hospital admission data also shows slight increases in cardiac events following time changes.
The announcement has received broad support from health organizations, including the Canadian Medical Association and the B.C. Nurses Union, both of which have advocated for ending seasonal time changes based on health research.
“Sleep disruption is real and significant,” noted Dr. Susan Matthews, Public Health Physician with the B.C. Health Authority. “While the impact appears modest at the population level, it’s measurable. When you multiply across millions of people, even small health impacts become significant.”
Business groups have also endorsed the move, noting that consistent timekeeping simplifies operations, reduces scheduling complications, and supports economic activity. The retail sector particularly supports permanent daylight time because the extended evening daylight hours tend to support consumer spending and outdoor recreation.
“From an operations standpoint, this simplifies our systems,” said Michael Rodriguez, CEO of the British Columbia Chamber of Commerce. “More importantly, our members believe that permanent daylight time will support economic activity by extending the daylight hours when people are most active.”
British Columbia will become the third Canadian province to move to permanent daylight time, following Ontario and Quebec. However, unlike those provinces which adopted permanent time after federal legislative changes, B.C. is implementing the change under existing provincial authority.
The change does mean that British Columbia will be on Pacific Daylight Time year-round, creating a one-hour difference from the Mountain Time Zone during winter months. This represents a change from the current situation where B.C. operates on Pacific Standard Time in winter, maintaining alignment with Alberta and other Mountain Time jurisdictions.
Travel and business organizations are requesting that the federal government implement complementary changes to harmonize time across Canada. Currently, a patchwork of time zones and daylight savings practices makes cross-country coordination complex.
“This decision reinforces why Canada needs a national conversation about time standardization,” said Elena Volkov, Transportation Analyst with the Canadian Travel Association. “As more provinces move away from seasonal changes, the coordination challenges increase. A national framework would benefit everyone.”
The province will conduct a public information campaign beginning in 2026 to educate British Columbians about the transition. Official timekeeping systems, including government computers and public services, will be updated in the months before the transition.
Indigenous communities in British Columbia were consulted during the decision-making process. While some communities expressed interest in potentially maintaining traditional time practices in limited circumstances, the province’s implementation will establish a uniform time zone across all of British Columbia.
The change will also affect television broadcasting, with the CBC and other networks working to ensure that program scheduling remains consistent across time zone boundaries.
British Columbia’s decision adds to growing momentum across North America toward eliminating seasonal time changes. Several U.S. states have either adopted permanent daylight time or are considering the change. Federally, there have been ongoing discussions in the U.S. about standardizing on permanent daylight time nationally.
