Canadian Provinces Abandon Clock Changes as Experts Warn of Health Risks
Several Canadian provinces and territories have ended biannual clock changes, creating a patchwork of time zones. Sleep scientists warn that permanent daylight time misaligns with circadian rhythms and increases health risks, while Quebec plans to end the practice but has not yet chosen which time to keep.
Most of British Columbia, Alberta, Manitoba, and the Northwest Territories no longer change their clocks twice a year, joining Yukon and most of Saskatchewan, which had already stopped the practice. Meanwhile, most of Ontario, Quebec, and the Atlantic provinces will continue to turn their clocks back on November 1 for the end of daylight saving time.
Quebec Premier Paul St-Pierre Plamondon announced that his government is moving to end the twice-yearly clock change. The decision on which time Quebec will keep has not been made and will follow expert consultation.
Research suggests permanent standard time is more closely aligned with the body's internal clock than permanent daylight time. Joseph De Koninck, an emeritus professor of psychology at the University of Ottawa, states that the springtime clock change is the most problematic due to the loss of one hour of sleep.
Michael Antle, head of the University of Calgary's psychology department, argues that permanent standard time would have been a better choice for Alberta. Under Alberta's new permanent daylight time, winter sunrises in Edmonton may occur as late as 10 a.m. Ski hills in Alberta's Bow Valley are delaying opening times this winter to provide staff with more daylight for slope preparation.
Population studies cited by Antle found that people exposed to later sunsets slept less and had higher rates of obesity, diabetes, and heart disease. Russian research cited by Antle found that winter depression among young people increased while Russia observed permanent daylight time. The resulting mismatch between biological clocks and solar time creates what experts call "social jetlag," affecting work and school performance.
Canada's differing time systems create a natural experiment allowing researchers to compare health outcomes between neighbouring populations.