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- calendar_today October 19, 2026
B.C. Set to End Clock Changes on Nov. 1
British Columbia will stop the practice of changing clocks for daylight saving and standard time as of November 1. The province will move to a year-round daylight time, affecting workers whose jobs require coordinating with colleagues and customers across Canada and beyond.
Permanent Daylight Time Brings Schedule Overhaul
For many in British Columbia, especially federal employees, Crown corporations, and workers in fields such as airports, border services, and call centres, this bc clock change means more than just resetting their watches. They will need to adapt familiar routines and recalculate time zone differences that have become second nature over the years. Nathan Fehr, a remote sales worker based in Coquitlam, noted, "These things are just kind of second nature to me." As a worker for a biotech company based in Boston with colleagues as far away as the United Kingdom, Fehr is accustomed to considering multiple time zones each day, but expects the change will require a period of adjustment.
Impact on Public Sector Schedules
The union representing more than a quarter-million public sector workers nationwide, the Public Service Alliance of Canada (PSAC), estimates that thousands in B.C. will see altered work hours to maintain alignment with eastern time. For example, over 100 Canada Revenue Agency call centre agents will work until 6 p.m. locally instead of 5 p.m., which synchronizes with the traditional 8 p.m. ET end time. Jamey Mills, PSAC's regional executive vice-president, said the later schedule could complicate family routines, requiring extended childcare and elder care arrangements.
Additionally, some Canada Border Services Agency officers will adjust shifts to match U.S. border station hours, which will soon be an hour out of sync with B.C. Multiple agencies—including Fisheries and Oceans Canada, Parks Canada, and the Canadian Food Inspection Agency—will see their staff begin shifts in darker morning conditions due to the new year round daylight time.
B.C. Time Differences After the Transition
Once B.C. moves to permanent daylight time, the province will be:
- Two hours behind most of Ontario
- One hour behind Alberta
- Aligned with Yukon
- One hour ahead of Washington state
- Two hours ahead of Alaska
For some sectors, these altered time differences mean business meetings, airport schedules, and cross-border operations require fresh coordination. Vancouver International Airport has advised travelers to check destination time zones carefully when booking and traveling.
Health, Safety, and Community Feedback
The bc time transition has prompted concerns from various groups. The BC Construction Association worries about safety risks associated with later sunrises for early-morning crews. Meanwhile, some scientists have expressed concern over possible health effects, with studies cited by the provincial government suggesting that permanent daylight saving time could negatively affect public health. On permanent daylight time, sunrise in Vancouver may occur as late as 9 a.m., and in communities further north, such as Prince George, as late as 9:30 a.m.
The transition does not impact B.C.'s Peace Region, the town of Creston, or the East Kootenay region, as these areas have never observed the seasonal clock change or follow Alberta's time zone.
Public Support and Worker Perspectives
According to a 2019 provincial survey, 93 percent of over 223,000 British Columbians polled were in favor of year-round daylight time. The support held across various industries. For Nathan Fehr, the new arrangement is a welcome change, offering more overlap with eastern colleagues and a more stable routine for his school-aged son. "I'm happy with it, not having to have my son go through the whole time change, which can really mess with their internal clock," Fehr said.
While other regions such as Yukon, Alberta, Manitoba, northern Ontario, and the Northwest Territories have also moved to permanent daylight or standard time in recent years, Saskatchewan has not observed seasonal time changes since 1966.
Source: cbc.ca.
