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Canadian time changes may be a thing of the past if U.S. passes 91Ƶsunshine91Ƶ law

U.S. Senator reintroduces Sunshine Protection Act, which would allow daylight time to be permanent
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Antique clocks are displayed at the Electric Time Company, in Medfield, Massachusetts on March 5, 2020. U.S. legislation that could trigger an end to seasonal time changes in Canada is moving forward again, as Canadians get ready to wind their clocks ahead an hour before going to bed Saturday night. THE CANADIAN PRESS/AP, Charles Krupa

Legislation in the United States that could trigger an end to seasonal time changes in Canada is moving forward again, as Canadians get ready to wind their clocks ahead an hour before going to bed Saturday night.

Provinces have been promising for years to ditch the time change but have cited a need for consistency with U.S. states for the delays.

Now a U.S. bill to authorize the change that has been repeatedly thwarted is back in play.

Last week, U.S. Senator Marco Rubio reintroduced the Sunshine Protection Act, which would allow daylight time to be made permanent.

Rubio said in a statement that the 91Ƶritual of changing time twice a year is stupid,91Ƶ and that ending the practice has bipartisan support.

British Columbia Premier David Eby said Wednesday that the province91Ƶs position of wanting to remain 91Ƶin-sync91Ƶ with west coast American states hasn91Ƶt changed, but he is 91Ƶvery much looking forward to getting rid of daylight-saving time.91Ƶ

The U.S. bill, first proposed in 2018, has repeatedly failed to get through both houses of Congress. Last March, it was approved by the Senate but stalled in the House without a vote.

If the federal bill gets through, that would allow U.S. states to enact their own changes, including those cited by Canadian provinces. More than a dozen U.S. states have passed legislation that is waiting on the federal go-ahead.

In B.C., legislation was passed four years ago to allow the province to permanently stay on daylight time.

But then-premier John Horgan said the change would depend on Washington, Oregon and California doing the same. In Ontario, Premier Doug Ford has said a switch would require New York state to also ditch the time change, while Quebec Premier François Legault has said he is open to making daylight time permanent.

Eby echoed Horgan91Ƶs position, saying B.C.91Ƶs close integration with U.S. states gives rise to legitimate business concerns if the province moves to a different time zone, and the need to stay aligned is the 91Ƶsole reason91Ƶ changes have not already been made.

91ƵI think all of us would be delighted to see the back end of daylight-saving time,91Ƶ he said. 91ƵBut at the same time, we want to make sure we are aligned with major trading partners91Ƶ efforts.91Ƶ

University of British Columbia business professor Werner Antweiler said the latest version of Rubio91Ƶs bill has bipartisan support and stands a much better chance of moving through the U.S. House as well as the Senate.

If that happens, a domino effect could ensue, and B.C.91Ƶs time change at 2 a.m. Sunday morning may be its last, he said.

91ƵIt looks as if the Senate is going to re-approve the bill, and the House will take it up for a vote this time around,91Ƶ said Antweiler, who has followed the issue closely as a researcher. 91ƵChances are that we are not moving back to standard time in the fall.91Ƶ

Most provinces as well as the territories of Nunavut and the Northwest Territories will move their clocks ahead one hour early Sunday.

Yukon and most of Saskatchewan keep their clocks the same year-round. Yukon made the switch for the last time in March 2020, and standard time is now permanent.

Government officials said in 2021 the change was a relatively smooth process.

In nearby Atlin, B.C., an unincorporated community where under 500 people live just south of the Yukon border, residents have decided to join the territory rather than change their clocks with the rest of the province.

91ƵIt91Ƶs been great. It91Ƶs actually best for us in some ways,91Ƶ said Sandryne Berger, who co-owns the Mountain Shack Cafe. 91ƵAt first it was dark in the morning but still light when we finish work.91Ƶ

Sean Boots moved to Whitehorse with his wife in October 2019 and welcomed Yukon abandoning the time change, having grown up in Saskatchewan.

91ƵI91Ƶve always thought that the daylight-saving time changes that happen in the rest of Canada were a bit of a silly idea,91Ƶ he said.

91ƵI remember the first time I experienced a daylight-saving time change was when I was in Ontario for grad school and I was just like, 91ƵWhat is this? This is bananas.91Ƶ91Ƶ

91ƵChuck Chiang and Emily Blake, The Canadian Press





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