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B.C. councillor says permanent time change will make dark school mornings dangerous

Click to play video: 'More time change controversy'
More time change controversy
B.C. has changed its clocks for possibly the last time, but there is still controversy over the switch to permanent daylight saving time. As Kylie Stanton reports, a Langford councillor says she's concerned about kids walking to school in the dark, and would like the province to invest in more infrastructure. – Mar 18, 2026

A councillor in Langford, B.C., on Vancouver Island is expressing her concern about the recent B.C. time change.

British Columbia is adopting year-round daylight saving time, meaning that clocks went forward by one hour for the last time in early March.

However, Langford Coun. Kimberley Guiry said she is concerned about darker mornings as kids head to school.

From November to February, when kids are making their way to school around 8 a.m., it will be in the dark.

“We should be thinking about what it’s going to look like on rainy days like today when there’s high reflection on your windshield and how hard it is to see in some neighbourhoods that don’t have that infrastructure that protects pedestrians,” Guiry told Global News.

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She brought forward a motion to council on Monday for council “to direct staff to prepare a letter to the Minister of Education and Childcare, the Minister of Transportation and Transit, and the Premier’s Office, with a copy to all local governments in British Columbia, outlining Council’s concerns regarding the impacts of adopting year-round Pacific daylight time on children who would be required to walk to school in the dark. ”

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Click to play video: 'BC moving to permanent daylight time on March 8th'
BC moving to permanent daylight time on March 8th

Guiry said she would like to see the reopening of B.C.’s Active Transportation Infrastructure Grant Program, which provides safe routes to schools and establish a program to give students high-res vests and objects.

She would also like to see the expansion of The Society for Children and Youth of BC (SCY)’s Walking School Bus program.

B.C. Premier David Eby said on Wednesday that traffic safety will be increased and the province will monitor this to make sure it’s being done.

He also said that going to permanent daylight saving time helps the province avoid more negative health outcomes that come from changing the clocks, such as an increase in crashes.

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