Manitoba is preparing to leave seasonal clock changes behind, with Premier Wab Kinew confirming that residents have effectively changed their clocks for the final time as the province moves to daylight time year-round.
The Manitoba government said 58 per cent of the roughly 72,000 residents who participated in its survey supported remaining on central daylight time permanently. By comparison, about 34 per cent said they preferred a move to standard time throughout the year.
“We heard from Manitobans loud and clear – no more changing the clocks in Manitoba,” Kinew said in a statement Thursday.
Under the new approach, Manitobans will no longer have to adjust their clocks every spring and fall. Kinew said the change will remove one recurring adjustment from family routines, with the province set to stop changing clocks this November.
The decision will also change how daylight is distributed across the province throughout the year. In winter, permanent daylight time will provide more light during the early evening hours. At the same time, mornings will be darker for people heading to school and work.
Kinew had previously said he personally favoured permanent central standard time, pointing to the health benefits associated with having more daylight in the morning.
Manitoba’s decision comes as neighbouring provinces take a different approach. Alberta and British Columbia announced earlier this year that they would move to permanent daylight time as well.
In Alberta’s case, the change brings the province into year-round alignment with Saskatchewan, which stopped switching its clocks in 1966.
Had Manitoba chosen permanent standard time instead, it would have remained synchronized with the other Prairie provinces.
The business community has welcomed the decision. Loren Remillard, CEO of the Winnipeg Chamber of Commerce, said keeping daylight time throughout the year could create additional opportunities for businesses and communities.
“More daylight in the evening means more opportunity for restaurants, retailers, farmers and communities across our province to make the most of the day,” Remillard said in a statement.
The change will therefore affect more than household routines, with Manitoba’s businesses and communities also expected to adapt to a schedule that keeps evening daylight later during the winter months.
