Remember to set clocks back Sunday as Daylight Savings Time ends
By Lone Sheep Publishing
It’s time to call the end to Daylight Savings Time for 2023 as the first weekend in November, Sunday at 2 a.m., is when clocks will be set back one hour.
The time changes means Canadians can expect another hour of sleep Sunday night as well as earlier nights and brighter mornings as the calendar moves forward toward winter.
Digital and wifi-connected devices should switch automatically.
Bouncing the clock forward in March and back again in November has been a topic of debate in Canada for many years, with politicians in BC, Alberta and Ontario wanting to scrap the century-old practice.
Despite a promise by the BC Government and the recent passing in the United States Senate of the Sunshine Protection Act in to end the twice-a-year time switch, it’s appearing the practice continues as American states in the same time zone wait for California to pull the trigger.
However, in 2018, more than 7.1 million California residents voted yes to Proposition 7 to keep daylight saving time year-round, effectively ending the time change.
In 2019, 93 percent of respondents to a BC online survey about scrapping the season time changes agreed to halt the twice annual changing of the clocks in the March and November.
In March of 2022, the US Senate unanimously passed the Sunshine Protection Act.
The bill proposed that beginning in November 2023 all states go on permanent Daily Savings Time.
However, the Act needed to be passed in the House of Representatives and signed into law by the President and this has not happened.
So, most BC residents will set their clocks back one hour at 2 a.m. Sunday, November 5, 2023 and then, most likely, ahead on Sunday, March 10, 2024.
Not everyone is following the tradition
In 2020, Yukon changed time for the last time when clocks sprung forward to daylight saving time on March 8.
Other spots not changing include most of Saskatchewan, parts of Eastern Quebec, the Southhampton Island in Nunavut, as well as parts of Ontario and BC — including Creston, Fort. St. John, Dawson Creek, Charlie Lake and Taylor.
Canada Daylight Saving Time begins at 2 a.m. local time on the second Sunday in March.
Time zone names and abbreviations in Canada change during Daylight Saving Time. Eastern Standard Time (EST) becomes Eastern Daylight Time (EDT), and so forth with each time zone.
There are hazards associated with the time change every year, even with the extra hour of sleep.
The Insurance Corporation of BC (ICBC) said collisions throughout the month of October to January almost double for the number of pedestrians that are injured in crashes, which could be partially attributed to daylight savings time.
Today, more than 70 countries and one-fifth of the world’s seven billion people take part in daylight time.
Tips on a smooth transition
Being tired can decrease productivity, concentration, and general well-being.
There are some simple ways of making it easier to handle the clock change:
- Adjust your body clock and wake up a little earlier than usual in the week before springing forward. This makes it easier to get out of bed on Monday morning.
- Eat a healthy breakfast first thing in the morning. Food tells your body it is the start of the day.
- Go for a walk in the light. Sunlight and exercise adjusts the body clock.
- Help children adjust by putting them to bed a little bit earlier the week before the time change.
ICBC Driving Tips
Here are ICBC’s top tips to help drivers deal with the fall time change and the shorter days.
- Always be on the lookout for pedestrians and cyclists – especially at intersections and near transit stops where pedestrians will be coming and going and may not use crosswalks. Crashes involving pedestrians spike in the fall and winter months.
- Prepare your vehicle for the change in weather. Clean your vehicle’s headlights and rear lights and check they’re all working properly. Keep your windshield, windows and mirrors clear. Remove leaves from your vehicle. Make sure you have enough windshield wiper fluid and that your wipers are in good condition.
- Keep your regular sleep/wake cycle. Go to bed at the same time you normally would, so you can benefit from that extra hour of sleep. Don’t assume you are more rested and alert on the road the mornings following the time change as it can impact the quality of your sleep and affect your body’s internal clock.
- As the weather changes and daylight hours decrease, pedestrians become increasingly vulnerable. ICBC reminds pedestrians to always make eye contact with drivers and never assume that a driver has seen you.
- So set those clocks back one hour before going to sleep Saturday night as changing clocks twice a year appears to be the norm for the next while.
