Is Daylight Saving Time Ending? Where Canada and the US Stand in 2026
In Canada, partly yes. British Columbia, Alberta and Manitoba will not turn their clocks back on November 1, 2026. All three now stay on what used to be summer time all year. In the United States, the House of Representatives voted in July 2026 to make daylight saving time permanent, but the Senate hasn’t passed it, so Americans will still turn their clocks back on November 1.
Key facts
- BC (UTC−7), Alberta (UTC−6) and Manitoba (UTC−5) made their last clock change on March 8, 2026.
- Ontario, Quebec and Atlantic Canada still turn their clocks back on November 1, 2026.
- US: the House passed the Sunshine Protection Act on July 14, 2026 (308 to 117). It has not passed the Senate.
- From November 1, Vancouver is 2 hours behind Toronto instead of 3, and an hour ahead of Seattle.
What changed in Canada in 2026
British Columbia
On March 2, 2026, Premier David Eby announced that most of BC would stop changing its clocks. The province made its final change on March 8, 2026, and will stay on UTC−7 all year. The province calls this Pacific time, replacing the old PST and PDT. It used a law first passed in 2019, after a provincial consultation in which more than 223,000 people responded and 93% supported year-round daylight time.
There are exceptions. The Peace River region in the north-east already used UTC−7 all year, so nothing changes there. The East Kootenay region in the south-east will match Alberta’s time. The town of Golden makes one last change on November 1, 2026.
Alberta
Alberta held a referendum on permanent daylight saving time in 2021, and it narrowly failed, 50.2% to 49.8%. In April 2026, Premier Danielle Smith’s government adopted permanent daylight time anyway, at UTC−6, calling it Alberta Time. Alberta won’t turn its clocks back on November 1. The Northwest Territories has introduced legislation to follow Alberta’s time.
Manitoba
On September 17, 2026, Premier Wab Kinew announced that Manitoba would also stay on daylight saving time permanently, at UTC−5. Clocks in Manitoba will not go back on November 1, 2026.
The rest of Canada
Yukon has stayed on UTC−7 all year since 2020, and most of Saskatchewan has never changed its clocks. Ontario passed a law in 2020 to adopt permanent daylight time, but only if Quebec and New York State do the same, so it hasn’t taken effect. Ontario, Quebec, the Atlantic provinces and most of Nunavut will turn their clocks back on November 1, 2026 as usual.
What it means this winter
| Time difference in winter 2026–27 | Before | Now |
|---|---|---|
| Vancouver and Toronto | 3 hours | 2 hours |
| Calgary and Toronto | 2 hours | 1 hour |
| Vancouver and Seattle | Same time | Vancouver 1 hour ahead |
| Vancouver and London | 8 hours | 7 hours |
| Winnipeg and Toronto | 1 hour | Same time |
The trade-off is darker mornings and lighter evenings. In late December, the sun will rise at about 9:05 AM in Vancouver, 9:37 AM in Calgary and 9:48 AM in Edmonton, but it won’t set until about 5:15 PM, 5:31 PM and 5:16 PM. See the full list in earliest winter sunsets in major cities.
What’s happening in the United States
On July 14, 2026, the US House of Representatives passed the Sunshine Protection Act (H.R. 139) by 308 votes to 117. The bill would make daylight saving time permanent across the country. It now needs to pass the Senate, where it has been sent to the Commerce Committee, and then be signed by the president. Until that happens, the current law applies, and clocks will go back on Sunday, November 1, 2026 and forward again on Sunday, March 14, 2027.
Many US states have passed their own laws to switch to permanent daylight time if Congress allows it. Federal law already lets states stay on standard time all year, which is what Hawaii and most of Arizona do.
Permanent daylight time or permanent standard time?
Most people agree that changing the clocks twice a year is a nuisance. The argument is about which time to keep.
- Permanent daylight time, the choice of BC, Alberta and Manitoba, gives lighter evenings, which supporters say helps businesses, outdoor activity and road safety in the evening.
- Permanent standard time is supported by sleep scientists, including the American Academy of Sleep Medicine, who argue that morning light is better for health, and that very dark winter mornings are hard on children going to school and on people’s body clocks.
The US tried permanent daylight time once before, in 1974, but it was so unpopular in the dark winter months that it was repealed within a year.
Will my phone update?
Phones and computers that set the time automatically use the IANA time zone database, which already includes BC’s, Alberta’s and Manitoba’s new rules. Make sure your device has its recent software updates. You can check the exact time on our world clock, which also tells you if your device clock is wrong. Some apps may still label BC’s time as “PDT” or “MDT” even though the offset is correct.
Sources
- Government of British Columbia: B.C.’s new time zone (Pacific time)
- Government of Manitoba news release, September 17, 2026: Manitoba to stay on daylight time
- US House Energy and Commerce Committee: House passes legislation to make daylight saving time permanent
- Official IANA time zone database, version 2026e
Frequently asked questions
Does BC change its clocks on November 1, 2026?
No. Most of BC made its last clock change on March 8, 2026 and stays on UTC−7 all year. The East Kootenay region follows Alberta’s time instead.
Does Alberta change its clocks in 2026?
No. Alberta now stays on UTC−6, Alberta Time, all year.
Is the US getting rid of daylight saving time?
Not yet. The House passed a bill for permanent daylight time in July 2026, but the Senate hasn’t voted on it. US clocks will still go back on November 1, 2026.
When do clocks go back in Ontario?
On Sunday, November 1, 2026, at 2 AM.
See which countries still change their clocks and every clock change until the end of 2027.
