Alberta NDP visiting 4 cities to get public input on ditching Daylight Saving Time

The Alberta NDP is forging ahead with its proposed plan to scrap Daylight Saving Time in the province and the government wants to hear more from the public.

Government officials will visit four Alberta cities in September to hear input on Bill 203, the Alberta Standard Time Act. The bill proposes to remove the fall time change, meaning Alberta would be on Mountain Daylight Time all year, on the same time as Saskatchewan.

“We are pleased to have received a significant amount of written feedback from Albertans during the first phase of our review of Bill 203,” Calgary-Shaw MLA Graham Sucha said in a media release Wednesday.

“It is important that we also meet with people in the province in person in order to hear their thoughts on Bill 203.”

Seventy-four per cent of the 13,500 Albertans who responded to a government survey earlier this year said the province should scrap Daylight Saving Time.

Approximately 3,000 people – or 24 per cent – were opposed to the move and 200 people – or one per cent – were undecided.

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READ MORE: Thousands of Albertans want to get rid of Daylight Saving Time

If Bill 203 passes, it would come into effect in November 2018. There would be two hours difference between Alberta and B.C. from November to March and one hour difference between Alberta and B.C. from March to November. The time in Alberta would be the same as in Saskatchewan all year round.

Those who wish to attend the meetings are asked to register by calling 780-415-2878. Public meetings will be held in the following cities on the following dates:

Grande Prairie – Register by Sept. 7

Sandman Hotel
Friday, Sept. 8, 2017
10 a.m. – noon and 1 p.m. – 4:30 p.m.

Edmonton – Register by Sept. 11

Edmonton Federal Building
Tuesday, Sept. 12, 2017
9 a.m. – noon, 1 p.m. – 4 p.m. and 6 p.m. – 9 p.m.

Calgary – Register by Sept. 11

Coast Plaza Hotel & Conference Centre
Thursday, Sept. 14, 2017
9 a.m. – noon, 1 p.m. – 4 p.m. and 6 p.m. – 9 p.m.

Lethbridge – Register by Sept. 11

Coast Plaza Hotel
Friday, Sept.15, 2017
11 a.m. – 1 p.m. and 2 p.m. – 5 p.m.

The audio of all four meetings will be live streamed on the Legislative Assembly’s website.