For the first time in more than a century, B.C. won’t change its clocks back this fall and experts warn it could have wide-ranging effects on people.
Vancouver Coastal Health has released a warning that the morning commute will be darker than usual and could discourage walking or biking to school or work.
They recommend improving visibility by wearing bright colours, reflective gear and making eye contact with drivers.
Drivers are warned that they should slow down and drive for the conditions.
Vancouver Coastal Health also says that morning light plays an important part in setting the body’s internal clock, which helps to support healthy sleep patterns.
“Humans are dependent on the morning light,” Ralph Mistlberger, a psychology professor at Simon Fraser University, told Global News.
He co-authored a report in the Canadian Medical Association Journal on the potential dangers of adopting year-round daylight saving time.
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“When you move the morning light later, the clock moves later, so what does that mean?” Mistlberger asked.
“It’s easier to stay up later and it’s harder to wake up early. It’s easier to sleep in longer, so your whole sleep-wake cycle shifts. But if your social calendar, your social schedule, your social clock doesn’t shift… then you generate a misalignment.”
Patrick Baylis with the University of British Columbia’s School of Economics said it will also affect work schedules.
“The rule of thumb is the less flexible your work hours are and the closer that start is to when sunrise would have been, the more effective you are going to be,” he said.
“So whereas you know, if you’re just required to be at work at eight, this matters a lot because you’re now going from a few weeks where the sunrise was going to be after the time where you were supposed to be at work, to a few months.”
British Columbians should also expect to encounter a disconnect with parts of the Pacific Northwest that have historically been on the same time as B.C.
For example, after Nov. 1, B.C. will be one hour ahead of Washington State and residents should remember that when crossing the border.
Alberta and Manitoba have also announced they are ending the practice of changing the clocks this year. On Wednesday, Quebec’s government announced it also plans to scrap the time change.
Saskatchewan has not changed its time since 1966, while Yukon ended the practice in 2020.
With files from The Canadian Press
So, these experts know all about the risks yet let it happen. What good then are these ‘experts’. I so hate media and its glib use of ‘experts’ say. Its about as bad as Carney says Carney says all the time. Media is a bought and for lap dancer.
Oh no its kinda dark out HELLLPPPPPP
This is ridiculous. It’s one hour for a few months. Let’s find more reasons to put fear in people. Hopefully most will just laugh. This is not news.
Lmao. Just a reminder for the privileged “experts” promoting this driveling nonsense: a large proportion of the world does not work 9-5 and does not get the sun when they wake up.
Let’s try not to suggest that 24/7 businesses are worthy of being sued and barred from those operating hours.
Where is the extensive amount of dedicated journalism that sought out the many other experts and data which showed the negative effects of time change on people.
Way more car accidents and work place incidents. Issues for children or anything else effected by disruptions to routine.
Time change with other states? Really. Alaska isn’t the same time as the west coast. Ever been to the norther part of our provinces? Time change or not, it is dark when you go to work, and dark when you get home.
And you are worried about being a different time zone than other places. Parts of BC are in Mountain time, have been for a long time. Saskatchewan doesn’t follow time changes, the farmers that used to be blamed for needing it.
The people you call Experts are obviously experts in a small field and appear less informed the broader the field of view.
Oh yes , the experts, who actually know nothing .
Show called experts should be reminded that are great ancestors never had time change they went by the Sun not man-made manipulation of time
Didn’t the “experts” whine about CHANGING the time? What a bunch of idiot whiners.
Experts
Lmfao
Journalism doesn’t get much lazier
Where was this investigated journalism when it was first announced? It’s been talked about in the general public for months now. Getting on top of this is now is how you guys operate. C’mon you can do better. It’s news , not what’s popular
Settle down. You’re hysterical.
This is going to be confusing for a while as people learn who is and isn’t on different times.
LET THE FEAR MONGERING B ULL / S H Y T BEGIN, FROM THE SO CALLED EXPERTS
So after decades of warnings about the time change, we’re now getting warnings about NO time change. From the same people, I’m guessing.
Moaners gonna moan.