Should Ontario Ditch Time Changes Like B.C.?

Just days after British Columbians found out they’ll be setting their clocks forward for the last time this Sunday, some folks in Ontario are saying it’s time to follow suit.

B. C. Premier David Eby announced Monday that the province will stick with daylight time permanently, meaning clocks won’t “fall back” in November anymore. The new time zone will be referred to as Pacific time, according to the province.

“We should follow B. C. and just scrap it all together,” said London, Ont., resident Leanne Lebeau. “I don’t like the forward, backward, forward, backward. It’s too hard on my body.”

Londoner Scott Creamer mentioned that he works in a downtown office building and has noticed how dark it gets during winter.

“B. C. did the right thing,” he said. “Sitting in that building at four or five o’clock in December, and it’s already pitch black outside, just sucks.

“Time is a construct. We can set our own time. If we can have more time and more daylight, then let’s do it.”

Scott Creamer says he wants Ontario to follow in British Columbia’s footsteps of permanently adopting daylight time. He says he would prefer more light when he leaves work. (Kendra Seguin/)

Canadian scientists have supported getting rid of time changes for decades, said York University biology professor Patricia Lakin-Thomas, but that doesn’t mean they all agree with B. C.’s approach.

“I’m 50 per cent yes, 50 per cent no,” said Lakin-Thomas, who studies circadian rhythm and biological clocks.

“We should get rid of time changes because we have plenty of evidence showing that it’s bad for us, especially during the spring changeover. We know there are acute effects from this like [vehicle] accidents, heart attacks and strokes,” she explained.

“But then the question is which direction do we go?”

Patricia Lakin-Thomas is a biology professor at York University who studies circadian rhythm and biological clocks. (Submitted by Patricia Lakin-Thomas)

Daylight Time vs Standard Time

Lakin-Thomas serves on the board of directors for the Canadian Society for Chronobiology, which issued an official statement backing year-round standard time in 2022.

“Standard time is what we’d like to call natural time-when the clock on the wall.. shows noon and the sun is at its highest point,” Lakin-Thomas said. “Daylight saving time isn’t ideal because we’ll end up out of sync with the sun.”

Lakin-Thomas clarified there’s a difference between “morning light” and “evening light,” both affecting people differently.

She stated that morning light helps push people into their day while evening light pulls biological clocks backwards-leading people to stay up late-which can be problematic since alarm clocks still ring at their usual times.

(Kendra Seguin/)Even if a province switches to permanent daylight time, Lakin-Thomas noted it could still be tough for people’s bodies to adjust. You’ll end up trying to eat breakfast when your body isn’t ready for it … You’ll struggle to feel awake when your normal stress hormones haven’t kicked in yet at dawn,” she explained.