Starting Nov. 1, several Canadian jurisdictions, including British Columbia, Alberta, Manitoba, Northwest Territories, and parts of northwestern Ontario, will adopt year-round daylight time, eliminating the twice-yearly clock changes traditionally observed in spring and fall. The change aims to provide residents with more evening daylight throughout the year but raises concerns among experts about its potential negative effects on health, safety, and productivity, particularly during winter months.
Under the new arrangement, mornings during the darker months will remain significantly dimmer, with sunrise occurring later, sometimes as late as 9 a.m., which means many people will begin their work or school day before daylight. While proponents appreciate the extra hour of light in the evening for social activities, exercise, and shopping, researchers warn that the loss of morning light could disrupt circadian rhythms and contribute to chronic health issues.
Experts emphasize that later sunrises can exacerbate “social jet lag,” a misalignment between individuals’ biological clocks and their social schedules, resulting in shortened sleep durations and increased risks of depression, cardiovascular disease, metabolic disorders, and workplace injuries. Adolescents, early morning shift workers, commuters, and people with sleep disorders are expected to be most affected.
Academic researchers have also noted broader societal impacts associated with reduced morning light. Studies comparing communities at different edges of time zones found that locations where sunrise occurs later tend to experience lower school attendance and academic performance, decreased worker productivity, and even reduced wages. One study in Florida showed that later sunrises had an effect on student achievement comparable to doubling class size.
Patrick Baylis, an associate professor at the University of British Columbia, and Ralph Mistlberger, a psychology professor at Simon Fraser University, underscored the importance of addressing these challenges through targeted interventions. They suggest enhancing pedestrian infrastructure, especially in areas with limited lighting, to improve safety for early morning commuters. Additionally, shifting school start times later could better align students’ schedules with natural light patterns and improve outcomes.
Globally, past attempts to implement permanent daylight time have often been reversed due to public dissatisfaction and safety concerns. The United States trial in 1974 led to increased pedestrian accidents, Chile’s 2015 experiment was abandoned after productivity losses and protests from agricultural workers, and Russia ended a similar three-year policy in 2014 following a spike in traffic incidents and complaints about dark winter mornings.
Researchers argue that permanent standard time—maintaining consistent alignment with natural morning light—offers a healthier alternative that better supports biological rhythms and daily routines. A 2025 Stanford modeling study evaluating different time arrangements concluded that permanent standard time yields superior health outcomes compared to both biannual clock changes and permanent daylight time, with the latter being second to last on the health spectrum.
Despite these findings, government polls in Canada often do not include permanent standard time as a choice, presenting only the options of maintaining seasonal changes or adopting permanent daylight time. This omission has drawn criticism from health experts who advocate for broader public discussion and informed decision-making.
As this transition unfolds, public health researchers urge provincial authorities to monitor the consequences of later sunrises carefully. Measures such as safer early morning travel conditions, flexible scheduling, and educational outreach on sleep hygiene may help mitigate risks associated with the shift to year-round daylight time. Whether the policy will remain in place long term remains uncertain, with some experts predicting it could be reversed after evaluating its effects.