March 2, 2026
RED FM News Desk
The Government of British Columbia has officially announced that the province will adopt permanent, year-round daylight-saving time (DST). The shift will begin this Sunday, March 8, 2026, when residents “spring forward” by one hour. This will mark the final time British Columbians are required to adjust their clocks, effectively ending the decades-old practice of bi-annual time changes.
The decision aims to improve public health, reduce scheduling chaos, and provide residents with an extra hour of evening light during the winter months. Premier David Eby emphasized that the move is a direct response to the long-standing frustrations of families and businesses.
“Every parent knows that changing clocks twice a year causes a significant amount of chaos on already busy lives. British Columbians have been clear that seasonal time changes do not work for them,” said Premier David Eby. “This decision isn’t just about clocks. It’s about making life easier for families, reducing disruptions for businesses and supporting a stable, thriving economy. I am hopeful that our American neighbours will soon join us in ending disruptive time changes.”
Following the leap forward on March 8, the province will not “fall back” on November 1, 2026. This eight-month window is intended to give businesses, transportation services, and technology providers ample time to prepare their systems for the permanent shift. Once the transition is complete, the province’s new time zone—simply referred to as Pacific Time—will be permanently set seven hours behind Coordinated Universal Time ($UTC-7$).
Attorney General Niki Sharma highlighted the overwhelming public support for the move, noting that a 2019 survey saw 93% of 223,000 participants favor year-round DST. “We have heard the overwhelming majority of people in B.C. who want to end the back-and-forth of seasonal time changes,” Sharma said. “This shift offers more stability, supports public well-being and reduces twice-yearly, unnecessary disruptions to the routines of parents, shift workers, small businesses, pet owners and so many more. I look forward to all of us enjoying an extra hour of sunlight after work and school for many winters to come.”
While the majority of the province will transition to permanent DST, certain eastern B.C. communities that observe Mountain Time will see varied effects. Dawson Creek, which already observes Mountain Standard Time year-round, will now find itself in permanent alignment with the rest of B.C. Conversely, communities like Cranbrook, which currently switch between standard and daylight times, will be aligned with the province in the winter but will remain one hour ahead during the summer months.
The legal framework for this change was established in 2019 via the Interpretation Amendment Act. While the province previously waited to coordinate with Washington, Oregon, and California, officials stated that the current needs of British Columbians took priority, ensuring the province is positioned to thrive regardless of future legislative changes across the border.
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