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6h ago

B.C. Will Not Fall Back on Nov. 1 and Adopts Permanent PCT

Later winter sunrises are expected to raise morning darkness, prompting officials to warn of safety, health and scheduling impacts.

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B.C. will not be changing its time on Sunday, Nov. 1.
Clock at Charlottetown City Hall in Charlottetown, P.E.I. As parts of Canada stop changing their clocks twice a year, sleep scientists say the time they choose to keep could have consequences for sleep and health.
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Overview

  • British Columbia will keep clocks unchanged on Sunday, Nov. 1 and adopt a new permanent provincial time code called PCT, meaning the province will no longer switch between standard and daylight time.
  • WorkSafeBC and Road Safety at Work warn the move will increase time spent driving in darkness and raise risks for workers and road users, noting that motor vehicle incidents made up 33 percent of traumatic workplace deaths from 2021–2024.
  • Sleep and circadian researchers say year‑round daylight time will push winter sunrises later, which can disrupt biological clocks, reduce morning light exposure and produce short‑term increases in fatigue and crash risk.
  • Practical disruptions are expected at borders, workplaces and on devices: B.C. will be one hour ahead of Washington State after Nov. 1, some federal call‑centre hours (for example CRA workers) will shift, and major tech firms have issued time‑zone updates though manual fixes may still be needed.
  • The change joins a growing patchwork of provincial and territorial decisions to stop changing clocks, a situation that could alter school and work schedules this winter and give researchers a chance to compare health, safety and social effects across regions.