Most of Ontario Ends Daylight Saving Time as Clock Changes Approach
While the majority of Ontario prepares to turn clocks back one hour on Sunday, certain regions and other provinces have permanently stopped the practice.
Most of Ontario, including the Waterloo region, Guelph, and Wellington County, is preparing to turn its clocks back one hour at 2 a.m. on Sunday, marking the official end of daylight saving time. Residents across these areas will gain an extra hour of sleep as they return to standard time.
Fire departments are using the seasonal shift to remind the public to check the batteries in their smoke detectors and alarms. While many people welcome the extra rest after Halloween weekend, the annual transition highlights a growing patchwork of time policies across Canada.
Unlike most of Ontario, several other parts of the country no longer adjust their clocks. British Columbia, Alberta, Manitoba, a section of northwestern Ontario, Yukon, and Saskatchewan have all moved away from the biannual time changes. Meanwhile, Quebec is also considering ending the practice.
The ongoing debate over whether to abolish daylight saving time has drawn commentary from sleep and biological clock experts. Patricia Lakin-Thomas, a biology professor at York University in Toronto and treasurer of the Canadian Society for Chronobiology, noted that halting the time changes is often seen as a populist move that appeals to voters.
However, Lakin-Thomas cautioned that abandoning the shift can lead to unforeseen challenges. She pointed out that past efforts to stop changing clocks in the United States, Russia, and the United Kingdom eventually proved unpopular after winters spent waking up and commuting in the dark.
According to Lakin-Thomas, the true test often comes in the spring when clocks are not pushed forward, leaving mornings dark and difficult for families. Scientists studying chronobiology plan to closely monitor the long-term health and daily impacts on populations that have abandoned the traditional clock changes.
As the debate continues across various provinces, Sunday's time change serves as a reminder of the logistical divisions that remain regarding how different regions manage standard and daylight saving time.