Why has Canada changed its clocks twice a year for the past 111 years?
According to a study conducted by BC Hydro, the majority of British Columbians are not certain why the time change exists.
Daylight Saving was first adopted in Canada in 1908 as a way to conserve energy, says the crown corporation.
However 60% of British Columbians (60%) believe that the practice exists to “provide more sunlight during waking hours.” Meanwhile, other residents think that it is meant to provide more working hours, and some just think it costs them an hour of sleep.
See also:
- Spring forward with these 5 Canadian facts about Sunday’s Daylight Saving time change
- BC municipal leaders vote to end Daylight Saving Time
According to BC Hydro, Daylight Saving Time electricity savings are “negligible”, if not non-existent.
In total, the study found that 35% of British Columbians believe that the time shift has a negative effect on them, and 56% would prefer if the time remained the same all year.
BC pitches eliminating the practice to the US
In September 2018, municipal leaders voted to end Daylight Saving in the province. The resolution was ultimately struck down, but the idea has regained traction this year.
One of the reasons why BC ultimately decided to keep the practice was to avoid scheduling confusion between the province and trading partners in the Western US.
On Thursday, Premier Horgan said that he has sent letters to the Governors of Oregon, Washington, and California looking for the States’ opinions on the subject.
“We believe that if we are going to go forward with a change to keep either permanent daylight saving time or permanent Pacific standard time, we need to do it in all four jurisdictions,” said Horgan at a conference.
“We have too many economic ties, too many social and cultural ties to have one or two jurisdictions out of synch with the others.”
Daylight Saving Time starts this Sunday at 2 a.m. and will move clocks forward by one hour.
