Why Vancouver Still Can’t End Daylight Savings

You wake up and it’s pitch dark again. The alarm feels heavier, your head foggier, and the day already shorter. It’s Vancouver daylight savings season - the twice-a-year ritual that never seems to end.

Across the city, frustration with clock changes has been building for years. A federal MP from Ottawa has proposed a plan to finally end the cycle, but B.C. remains stuck between public demand and government hesitation. Most residents say they want daylight savings gone, yet the province continues to wait on its neighbors before making a move.

Why British Columbians Are Tired of Waiting

B.C. has already decided what it wants. In 2019, a provincial consultation drew more than 223,000 responses - the largest in its history. An overwhelming 93 percent supported ending daylight savings and keeping one consistent time.

That same year, the province passed legislation to make daylight time permanent, but the change hasn’t taken effect. The government tied its decision to the U.S. west coast, stating it would only act once Washington, Oregon, and California do the same. Six years later, those states are still debating it. Meanwhile, Yukon ended clock changes in 2020, and Saskatchewan stays on the same time year-round, with exceptions around Lloydminster.

For Vancouver residents, it’s a mix of fatigue and irony. Two nearby regions stopped switching long ago, yet B.C. continues to wait for a decision south of the border.

The Push to End Vancouver Daylight Savings

Liberal MP Marie-France Lalonde introduced Bill C-248, the Time Change Act, on October 6, 2025. The bill had its first reading in Parliament and aims to coordinate a national plan to end daylight savings, including how it would apply to cities like Vancouver.

It doesn’t immediately stop the practice. Instead, it directs the federal government to organize a national conference with provinces, territories, and Indigenous governments. The goal is to create a single, evidence-based approach, followed by a public report. Until that happens, Canadians will keep switching their clocks each March and November.

Lalonde described the twice-yearly change as outdated, but her bill remains in early stages. To move forward, it must enter the House of Commons’ order of precedence before any debate or vote can happen.

The Health and Safety Cost of Vancouver Daylight Savings

Research associates the clock change with short-term increases in fatigue and reduced alertness. Several studies have reported a small rise in certain cardiovascular events after the spring transition, while others find no significant impact. The Canadian Sleep Society supports ending daylight savings altogether and adopting permanent standard time, which aligns more closely with natural daylight.

The effects reach beyond sleep. ICBC has reported higher collision risks around the time change in some years, particularly during darker commutes. Workplace fatigue and reduced focus often follow, with many people taking days to adjust. For young professionals, students, and parents, the shift feels like an unnecessary stress that disrupts both energy and safety.

Daylight or Standard - What Works Best for Vancouver

Permanent daylight time offers brighter evenings but pushes Vancouver’s winter sunrises to nearly 9 a.m. Permanent standard time brings earlier daylight and steadier sleep patterns but darker evenings.

Both options have tradeoffs that shape daily life in the Lower Mainland.

Health experts favor standard time because it supports natural sleep cycles. Many residents, however, prefer daylight time for longer after-work hours in the sun. For B.C., choosing means balancing science against lifestyle - a decision that could affect every school start, commute, and outdoor plan through the winter months.

What Happens Next for Vancouver Daylight Savings

Bill C-248 remains at first reading, and no timeline is set for debate. Even if Parliament passes it, provinces and territories will still need to update their own time laws before any change takes effect.

Coordination with the U.S. west coast is still the deciding factor for B.C. If those states move ahead, the province is likely to follow. If they don’t, daylight savings will continue for at least another year. Any coordinated shift could come in a future year, but no date is confirmed.

What It Means for Vancouver

Daylight savings was introduced more than a century ago to save energy during wartime. Today, it offers little benefit and adds another layer of fatigue for residents already adjusting to darker seasons.

Whether B.C. chooses daylight or standard time, most agree on one thing - it’s time to stop changing the clocks. Until a final decision is made, Vancouver will keep rising in the dark each fall, waiting for a morning that finally feels settled.