Residents across Ontario will lose an hour of sleep this weekend as daylight saving time begins.
Clocks are set to move forward one hour at 2 a.m. on Sunday, marking the start of daylight saving time across most of Canada and the United States. The change means darker mornings but longer daylight hours in the evening.
Daylight saving time will remain in effect until early November, when clocks are traditionally set back one hour and standard time returns.
However, the twice-yearly clock change is increasingly being debated across the country. In British Columbia, the provincial government recently announced it will move to permanent daylight saving time, meaning the March 8 clock change will be the last seasonal time shift for most of the province.
Under the plan, clocks in British Columbia will move forward this weekend as usual, but they will not be turned back in November, effectively keeping the province on daylight saving time year-round.
Ontario has also taken steps toward potentially ending the seasonal time change. The province passed legislation in 2020 that would allow it to adopt permanent daylight saving time, but the change has not been implemented because it was tied to similar action by neighbouring jurisdictions such as Quebec and the state of New York.
Provincial officials have said maintaining alignment with nearby regions is important because of cross-border business, transportation and broadcasting schedules.
Health experts often note that the spring time change can temporarily disrupt sleep patterns and daily routines. People are encouraged to adjust their schedules gradually and ensure they get adequate rest in the days surrounding the shift.
Many safety organizations also recommend using the time change as a reminder to check smoke alarms and carbon monoxide detectors and replace batteries if needed.
Most modern devices such as smartphones and computers will automatically adjust to the new time, but some appliances and manual clocks will still need to be changed before going to bed Saturday night.
