Should Canada Say Goodbye to Daylight Saving Time?

It’s almost that time again, when Canadians prepare to turn their clocks back one hour as daylight saving time comes to an end. But not everyone is a fan of this long-standing ritual.

Every November, Canadians prepare to “fall back” as daylight saving time (DST) ends — and every March, we “spring forward” again. The ritual is so familiar that most of us don’t even question it anymore. But behind the extra hour of sleep (or the lost one in spring) lies a growing debate: does changing the clocks twice a year actually do more harm than good?

The Clock Change Debate Heats Up

Criticism of daylight saving time has been building for years, and the call to scrap it is getting louder. Those in favour of ending the practice argue that it no longer serves the purpose it once did: conserving energy and making better use of daylight hours. Instead, they say, it disrupts everything from our work routines to our sleep cycles.

They point out that Canada’s world has changed since daylight saving time was introduced in 1918. Back then, the economy depended heavily on agriculture and manufacturing, and managing daylight hours meant managing productivity. Today, we live in a digital, global economy, and productivity has less to do with sunlight and more to do with Wi-Fi speed and screen time.

How Time Changes Affect Our Health and Work

The most common complaint about Daylight Savings Time is how it affects our internal clock, literally. Studies show that even a one-hour time shift can throw off our circadian rhythm, the natural system that regulates sleep, mood, and metabolism. The result? More fatigue, reduced focus, and sometimes serious health risks.

Health professionals have noted spikes in heart attacks, car accidents, and workplace injuries in the days following the springtime change. For those working night shift, in healthcare, hospitality, or transportation, the adjustment can be even more difficult. Parents and teachers also notice the effects, with students often taking days to adapt to new sleep schedules.

In short, something as small as an hour can ripple through every part of daily life, from how alert we feel in the morning to how safely we perform on the job.

Why It’s Complicated to Stop

While many Canadians agree that changing the clocks twice a year feels outdated, deciding what to replace it with isn’t simple. Should we stay on daylight time permanently to enjoy longer evenings? Or should we stick to standard time, which aligns better with our natural sleep cycles?

Some regions have already made their choice. Saskatchewan has kept a fixed time year-round for decades, and Yukon switched to permanent daylight time in 2020. Others, including Ontario and several Atlantic provinces, are open to the idea, but they’re waiting to coordinate with neighbouring regions to avoid confusion for travellers, businesses, and schools that operate across provincial or U.S. borders.

What’s Next for Canada?

The discussion continues in Parliament and among the public. Earlier this month, Liberal MP Marie-France Lalonde introduced a bill calling for a national conversation on the future of timekeeping in Canada. The proposal doesn’t dictate whether we should stick to standard or daylight time, it simply asks the federal and provincial governments to come together and make a decision once and for all.

Until then, Canadians will keep adjusting their clocks, and adjusting their sleep. Whether you see it as a small inconvenience or a major disruption, one thing’s clear: time itself may be constant, but how we manage it is up for debate.

To learn more about the current proposal and the health concerns raised by experts, check out this article by Aarjavee Raaj on CTV News.