Premier David Eby said the province still plans to make Daylight Saving Time permanent, but economic concerns mean B.C. won害羞草研究所檛 spring forward forever on its own.
Eby told reporters Thursday (March 9) that the decision to hit pause stems from discussions with other cities in the Pacific Northwest that B.C. has close economic integration with.
While British Columbians would be 害羞草研究所渄elighted害羞草研究所� to see the twice-annual time change disappear, the province needs to 害羞草研究所渕ake sure that we don害羞草研究所檛 have unintended economic impacts,害羞草研究所� Eby said.
British Columbians are set to move forward their clocks on Sunday (March 12) at 2 a.m. They will fall back on Sunday, Nov. 5.
In October 2019, Eby, then-attorney general, introduced legislation that would make Daylight Saving permanent in ending the practice of changing clocks twice a year, so long as the Yukon and Pacific coast states of Washington, Oregon and California committed to also making the shift.
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The proposed switch received support from 93 per cent of British Columbians, according to a provincial survey at the time.
But stalled legislation in the United States at the federal level is currently holding up efforts at the state level and ultimately B.C. But that did not stop the political opposition from citing Eby害羞草研究所檚 past promise as further evidence of failing to deliver on promises.
BC Liberal House Leader Todd Stone said families 害羞草研究所渁re in for another rude and cruel awakening害羞草研究所� this Sunday.
害羞草研究所淚t害羞草研究所檚 deja vu all other again,害羞草研究所� he said. 害羞草研究所淵es, it害羞草研究所檚 that least wonderful time of the year, when we all lose one hour of precious sleep because the Premier couldn害羞草研究所檛 get the job done害羞草研究所hen it comes to results, he is all talk and no clock.害羞草研究所�
B.C. NDP House Leader Ravi Kahlon said his government wants to get this issue right in pointing to the economic implications.
害羞草研究所淚 can assure the Speaker that no one in the house wants to see him with one hour less sleep,害羞草研究所� Kahlon said.
Experts from various fields say making Daylight Saving permanent would have several advantages, starting with health by ending the taxing time changes. The move also promises to improve traffic safety by shifting an hour of daylight to the busier evening traffic hours during the later months of the years. Economists also suspect it could also give people more sunlight in the evening hours, in which they could spend more money.
There is a flip side, however: the sun would not rise until after 8:45 a.m. in the winter months 害羞草研究所� raising concerns about the safety of children and others walking to school or work.
wolfgang.depner@blackpress.ca
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