The time to ‘Spring Ahead’ is just around the corner, despite winter’s tight grip on most of the country.
Sunday, March 10 marks the day that clocks will be turned ahead an hour, as Daylight Saving Time (DST) returns in most B.C. communities.
The change also means losing an hour of sleep at 2 a.m.
In 2017, the B.C. Union of Municipalities endorsed a resolution from Grand Forks asking the province to consider abolishing Daylight Saving Time.
Premier John Horgan has said British Columbia could follow California if that U.S. state successfully remains in DST all year and forgoes changing clocks altogether.
Back in November, nearly 60 per cent of California voters chose to stay in DST but the changes have yet to be brought to the state legislature for vote.
The policy change would require a two-thirds approval, then passage in Congress and a presidential signature.
Washington state senators have also proposed a bill to abolish year-round Daylight Saving Time.
If congress doesn’t authorize Bill 5139, legislators are proposing to seek department of transportation approval to make the change to year-round mountain standard time.
Washington state legislators argue that research shows changing clocks has “negative impacts on public health, increases traffic accidents and crime, disrupts agriculture scheduling, and hinders economic growth” and includes “greater risks of heart attacks, more frequent workplace injuries, and increased suicide rates in the days immediately following the switch.”
Back on Nov. 1, Premier Horgan said he brought the subject up with Washington Gov. Jay Inslee but said he “didn’t even know what I was talking about and wondered why it would be an issue.”
Chetwynd, Creston, Dawson Creek, Fort Nelson and Fort St. John remain on standard time all year round.
Across the country, there is no annual time change in Saskatchewan, Coral Harbour in Nunavut, Blanc-Sablon in Quebec nor Atikokan in Ontario.
“British Columbia has observed DST for 79 years,” according to the website timeanddate.com, noting the province took a break in 1941.
Upwards of 142 countries have used DST at least once, it said.
In 2019, only 73 countries will move clocks ahead on Sunday.
Losing an hour of time creates more light in the afternoon schedule, which some believe promotes outdoor activities into the evening.
DST was introduced to save energy when most electricity was used when the sun went down.
Comments