A hitch in time plan — Daylight Savings Time sticking around

spaminator

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A hitch in time plan — Daylight Savings Time sticking around
Author of the article:Antonella Artuso
Publishing date:Oct 23, 2021 • 8 hours ago • 3 minute read • Join the conversation
Ontarians will wind back the clock an hour to standard time on Nov. 7 and then turn it forward again on March 13.
Ontarians will wind back the clock an hour to standard time on Nov. 7 and then turn it forward again on March 13. PHOTO BY FILE PHOTO /Getty Images
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Maybe next year.

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A move to make Daylight Savings Time (DST) permanent was approved by the Ontario Legislature almost a year ago but the province doesn’t want to go it alone.


Bill 214, the Time Amendment Act, introduced by Progressive Conservative MPP Jeremy Roberts, received all-party support and then Royal Assent on Nov. 30 but it’s predicated on Quebec and New York State also adopting year-round DST.

Similar legislation before New York State would also require partners in time.

The idea has been put to the Quebec government but has gone no farther.

So that means Ontarians will wind back the clock an hour to standard time on Nov. 7 and then turn it forward again on March 13.

Roberts said he has been working for the past year on building support in Quebec and New York State for permanent DST.

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“We’ve seen a couple of positive signs,” Roberts said. “We took an additional step this fall — we’ve actually now sent a letter to every single elected official in both Quebec and New York State explaining what’s happened here and explaining some of the merits of this type of move to see if we can get any of them to bite and to join us.”

A bill currently before the New York State Assembly would move the state to permanent DST, but would only become effective if the neighbouring states of Connecticut, Massachusetts, New Jersey, Pennsylvania and Vermont followed suit.

“Currently, states are only permitted to exempt themselves from observing Daylight Saving Time, not establish its permanence. This bill, should it become law, would allow the state to establish Daylight Saving Time as the permanent year-round time, contingent upon the repeal of the federal law establishing Daylight Saving Time,” the bill says.

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The Sunshine Protection Act, introduced in the U.S. Senate earlier this year by Senator Marco Rubio and seven other senators, would repeal 1966 federal legislation that only allowed states to adopt DST between the second Sunday in March and the first Sunday in November.

Rubio has said his bill, if enacted, would mean states wouldn’t be forced to “fall” back in November.

Permanent DST would help address a number of concerns related to that clock change, including heightened risks of cardiac issues, stroke and seasonal depression; a 2.2% drop in economic activity; a reduction in vehicle accidents including hitting wildlife, and an estimated 0.5% decline in daily electricity use, Rubio says in a statement.


In the United States, one study also found a 27% reduction in robberies with added daylight evening hours.

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Ontario has observed negative experiences when the clock turns back, Roberts said.

“There’s about a 10% increase in fatal car crashes after the time change,” he said.

The OPP routinely warns motorists about the need for added vigilance when the clock turns back in the fall.

More daylight hours in the evening could help small businesses, as some studies suggest people are more likely to go out to restaurants or shops if it’s light out in the evening and afternoon, Roberts said.

However, safety issues have been raised regarding children walking to school in the dark.

“We obviously want to make sure our kids are safe but there’s about 79% of the world’s population that doesn’t actually do the time change, including a number of jurisdictions that have permanent Daylight Savings Time, and we don’t see a high percentage of accidents like that happening there,” Roberts said, adding extra daylight hours in the evening offers more outdoor family time.

aartuso@postmedia.com
 

taxslave

Hall of Fame Member
Nov 25, 2008
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Vancouver Island
I would much prefer staying on standard time. More light earlier in the morning so as to not have to work in the dark.
BC was supposed to quit the time change addiction a few years back but for some odd reason we have to wait for Washington and Oregon to change too. Probably because our current provincial government is more in tune with the fruitbars that control Washington than with the rest of Canada.
 

spaminator

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Oct 26, 2009
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you get an extra hour of daylight in the evening with permanent dst. i was kind of hoping for universal/worldwide permanent dst. 💡 :cool:
 

spaminator

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All wound up about clock change
Many people believe the clock is ticking on getting rid of falling back and springing forward

Author of the article:Scott Laurie
Publishing date:Nov 06, 2021 • 14 hours ago • 2 minute read • 9 Comments
Steve Thamer, a voiceover narrator and prog-rock musician, sits outside on Queen St. E. in The Beach enjoying a sunny fall day on Friday, Nov. 5, 2021.
Steve Thamer, a voiceover narrator and prog-rock musician, sits outside on Queen St. E. in The Beach enjoying a sunny fall day on Friday, Nov. 5, 2021. PHOTO BY JACK BOLAND /Toronto Sun/Postmedia Network
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It is the weekend many people dread – the time of year when clocks fall back an hour; heralding in dusk and nightfall much earlier.

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“What’s the point?” asked Bill Watson.


“I don’t see the point of it anymore. I understand years ago, hundreds of years ago it was done for farmers and harvesting and all that kind of stuff. But that doesn’t happen much in urban centres obviously.”

“Let’s put an end to that,” said Donna Watson while out for a walk on sunny Friday.

“We live in Canada and there is so much snow. Isn’t it wonderful just to have a little bit of sunlight that stretches out a little bit.”

With the weekend time-shift, Toronto Police launched campaign running from Nov. 5-14 to raise awareness about the traffic risks and dangers once it gets darker earlier.

“People describe the time change as a few days of jetlag,” Traffic Services Const. Sean Shapiro said.

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Ontarians will wind back the clock an hour to standard time on Nov. 7 and then turn it forward again on March 13.
A hitch in time plan — Daylight Savings Time sticking around
None
GUNTER: Please, stop the complaining over Daylight Saving Time
None
Getting ready to fall back once again

According to Police, 49 people have been killed on Toronto roads so far this year — and 21 of those killed were pedestrians.

Historically, there has been a 30% increase in pedestrian-involved collisions in Toronto in the weeks surrounding the time change, police say.

“Those little changes of your reaction time could lead to a collision and we want to try and prevent that,” said Shapiro.

According to the Traffic Injury Research Foundation, what police have observed in terms of an increase in collisions is supported by their studies.

“There is a real risk of people driving while fatigued,” said Steve Brown, of the Foundation.

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Along with the police safety campaign this month, Toronto is urging all road users to stay alert and obey the rules of the road as daylight saving time ends.


Last November, Progressive Conservative MPP Jeremy Roberts tabled a bill – which was passed – to do away with the change.

It received all party support.

But the province said it needs Quebec and New York to match the move before locking in any kind of change.

Still, there is a definitive appetite for it.

“It needs to be stopped. Just end it. It doesn’t make any sense anymore,” said Trish Adams.

“It was for farmers. It doesn’t work anymore. To lose daylight at this time of year is bad.”

slaurie@postmedia.com
 
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spaminator

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Canadians set back clocks this weekend as debate over seasonal time changes continues
Author of the article:Canadian Press
Canadian Press
Daniela Germano
Publishing date:Nov 06, 2021 • 18 hours ago • 3 minute read • Join the conversation
Duncan Clements of Pendulum of Mayfair antique clock specialists carries out the summertime adjustment of the clocks, regulators and timepieces in the display rooms on April 01, 2019 in London, England.
Duncan Clements of Pendulum of Mayfair antique clock specialists carries out the summertime adjustment of the clocks, regulators and timepieces in the display rooms on April 01, 2019 in London, England. PHOTO BY LEON NEAL /Getty Images
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Most Canadians have the chance to catch up on some sleep when clocks move back an hour Sunday, but an Ontario politician is optimistic it could be the last time for the country’s most populous province.

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Jeremy Roberts, who represents the constituency of Ottawa West-Nepean, tabled a private member’s bill in October 2020 that would end the biannual time change in Ontario.


The bill, which passed the next month with unanimous support, would have the province on permanent daylight time. Ontarians would get an extra hour of daylight at the end of the day in exchange for it in the morning.

“I have always really disliked the time change, particularly the fall-back time change,” Roberts said.

“I find it’s just awful when you get home from work in the afternoon and it’s already dark out and you feel you can’t go out.”

Before introducing the bill, Roberts consulted with people who he said favoured extra daylight in the evening.

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But he said Ontario must wait for its two biggest neighbours to be on board before making the change.

“When it comes to New York state, we have a lot of cross-border trade, but on top of that we also benefit from being in the same time zone as the markets in New York City, so we didn’t want to do anything to disrupt that.”

Roberts said he reached out to Quebec Premier Francois Legault and New York Gov. Kathy Hochul.

Legault has indicated to him, as well as publicly, that Quebec supports the idea of sticking with daylight time, Roberts said.

He hasn’t heard back from Hochul, but there is a bill before the state legislature proposing year-round daylight time. Complicating matters in that even if the state opted for that, it would still have to wait for Congress to approve it.

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British Columbia has already decided to stick with daylight time but is waiting on states to the south to do the same. Yukon decided last year to no longer make seasonal changes and now follows its own standard time zone. Saskatchewan doesn’t change its clocks.

Last month, Albertans voting in a referendum narrowly rejected a switch to permanent daylight time. Psychologists with expertise in circadian rhythms had warned that the switch would mean some areas of Alberta wouldn’t see the sun rise in the winter until about 10 a.m.

Studies around the world have linked time changes to increases in car crashes, depression, lower productivity and a higher risk for heart attacks and strokes.

That’s particularly the case in the spring when clocks move forward and an hour of sleep is lost, said Joseph De Koninck from the University of Ottawa’s Brain and Mind Research Institute.

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De Koninck agrees that changing the clocks should stop, but suggests that sticking to daylight time year-round is the worst option.


Standard time is the best choice for the general population’s health because it is more in line with solar time and people’s body clocks, said the sleep expert.

He said if Ontario moves to permanent daylight time, cities such as Ottawa wouldn’t see dawn break until about 8:45 a.m. in December and January.

“A lot of people would be going to work in the dark, which is the worst thing that could happen to your biological clock, because you need the exposure to daylight in the morning to start your internal clock.”

De Koninck said having more light later in the day could have economic benefits as it could boost consumerism after work. But it would also increase mood disorders, weaken immune systems and increase the risk for certain cancers, he said.

He pointed to Russia, a country as far north as Canada, which moved to permanent daylight time in 2011, only to abandon it three years later. Studies showed it particularly affected children and their academic performance, De Koninck said.

It doesn’t make sense for provinces to align themselves with U.S. states that are farther south and generally have more hours of winter light, he added.

“The politicians and the business people who want to have the light late in the day for different activities, such as golf ⦠but people are not informed on what that will mean for them in December.”
 

spaminator

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LILLEY: Time to stop changing the clocks
Author of the article:Brian Lilley
Publishing date:Nov 06, 2021 • 14 hours ago • 3 minute read • 12 Comments
Daylight Saving Time ends at 2 a.m. on Sunday morning.
Daylight Saving Time ends at 2 a.m. on Sunday morning. PHOTO BY STEPHANIE FREY /iStock / Getty Images
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Did you remember to set your clock back this weekend? Or were you supposed to put the clocks forward?

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It’s tough to remember with this bizarre ritual we have of changing our clocks twice a year to fool our bodies but it really is time that we stopped it.


We’ve only been playing make believe with this ludicrous clock changing scheme for the last century or so. For millennia before, human beings did quite well without having to pretend it was a different time than it actually was.

I remember being told as a child that we change the clocks in the spring and in the fall to help farmers. It wasn’t until I was an adult that I found out this was the furthest thing from the truth.

It shouldn’t be a shock that we can’t get the story straight since so many of us can’t get the name straight — it’s daylight saving time, not savings.

But back to the farms.

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The heartland of Canada’s agriculture sector doesn’t even follow DST. Saskatchewan has refused to implement the sleep torturing regime and let me tell you, if you haven’t been there, the place has a lot of farms.

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Steve Thamer, a voiceover narrator and prog-rock musician, sits outside on Queen St. E. in The Beach enjoying a sunny fall day on Friday, Nov. 5, 2021.
All wound up about clock change
Ontarians will wind back the clock an hour to standard time on Nov. 7 and then turn it forward again on March 13.
A hitch in time plan — Daylight Savings Time sticking around
Daylight Saving Time ends at 2 a.m. on Sunday morning.
Time changes in spring and fall not good for our health: York prof

DST also isn’t followed in parts of Northern Ontario, parts of Eastern Quebec or the Peace River region in British Columbia. In the United States, Arizona, Hawaii and Puerto Rico are all smart enough not to mess with time and sleep patterns.

In fact, most of the world doesn’t follow this masochistic practice.

Few countries in Asia, Africa, the Caribbean or South America use DST and neither do Russia, Belarus, Iceland or Turkey.

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The original idea for DST was to preserve energy by having waking hours match sunlight hours. We are a much different society than we were a century ago, not as industrial, not as reliant on coal — which was the energy source they were trying to preserve.

We no longer need to follow the clock change, especially considering the harms it causes.

As my colleague Scott Laurie reports , the idea that we have more mishaps and get into more traffic collisions isn’t just a feeling you get. It’s backed up by police data and research by the Traffic Injury Research Foundation.


That should be reason enough for us to ditch the twice a year torture of the time change, the seemingly simple act that in fact gives many of us jet lag for days and leads to more accidents.

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The Ontario legislature did support a bill to do away with the time change, but the province won’t move unless neighbouring jurisdictions and major trading partners like Quebec and New York also go along. Maybe we should start awareness campaigns there?

The last time we adjusted daylight saving time was in 2005 when the American Congress passed the Energy Policy Act of 2005 by extending the practice two weeks earlier and two weeks later. Canadian jurisdictions following DST followed suit and the change went into effect in 2007.

If we really want to do away with this useless and outdated practice, it’s going to take bold and unilateral action by provincial leadership or a campaign to convince Americans that it’s time to end DST.

My suggestion is to start calling politicians over the next few days when we are still tired and grumpy from the time change. Who’s with me?

Blilley@postmedia.com
 

taxslave

Hall of Fame Member
Nov 25, 2008
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Vancouver Island
All wound up about clock change
Many people believe the clock is ticking on getting rid of falling back and springing forward

Author of the article:Scott Laurie
Publishing date:Nov 06, 2021 • 14 hours ago • 2 minute read • 9 Comments
Steve Thamer, a voiceover narrator and prog-rock musician, sits outside on Queen St. E. in The Beach enjoying a sunny fall day on Friday, Nov. 5, 2021.
Steve Thamer, a voiceover narrator and prog-rock musician, sits outside on Queen St. E. in The Beach enjoying a sunny fall day on Friday, Nov. 5, 2021. PHOTO BY JACK BOLAND /Toronto Sun/Postmedia Network
Article content
It is the weekend many people dread – the time of year when clocks fall back an hour; heralding in dusk and nightfall much earlier.

Advertisement
STORY CONTINUES BELOW

Article content
“What’s the point?” asked Bill Watson.


“I don’t see the point of it anymore. I understand years ago, hundreds of years ago it was done for farmers and harvesting and all that kind of stuff. But that doesn’t happen much in urban centres obviously.”

“Let’s put an end to that,” said Donna Watson while out for a walk on sunny Friday.

“We live in Canada and there is so much snow. Isn’t it wonderful just to have a little bit of sunlight that stretches out a little bit.”

With the weekend time-shift, Toronto Police launched campaign running from Nov. 5-14 to raise awareness about the traffic risks and dangers once it gets darker earlier.

“People describe the time change as a few days of jetlag,” Traffic Services Const. Sean Shapiro said.

Advertisement
STORY CONTINUES BELOW

Article content
MORE ON THIS TOPIC

Ontarians will wind back the clock an hour to standard time on Nov. 7 and then turn it forward again on March 13.
A hitch in time plan — Daylight Savings Time sticking around
None
GUNTER: Please, stop the complaining over Daylight Saving Time
None
Getting ready to fall back once again

According to Police, 49 people have been killed on Toronto roads so far this year — and 21 of those killed were pedestrians.

Historically, there has been a 30% increase in pedestrian-involved collisions in Toronto in the weeks surrounding the time change, police say.

“Those little changes of your reaction time could lead to a collision and we want to try and prevent that,” said Shapiro.

According to the Traffic Injury Research Foundation, what police have observed in terms of an increase in collisions is supported by their studies.

“There is a real risk of people driving while fatigued,” said Steve Brown, of the Foundation.

Advertisement
STORY CONTINUES BELOW

Article content
Along with the police safety campaign this month, Toronto is urging all road users to stay alert and obey the rules of the road as daylight saving time ends.


Last November, Progressive Conservative MPP Jeremy Roberts tabled a bill – which was passed – to do away with the change.

It received all party support.

But the province said it needs Quebec and New York to match the move before locking in any kind of change.

Still, there is a definitive appetite for it.

“It needs to be stopped. Just end it. It doesn’t make any sense anymore,” said Trish Adams.

“It was for farmers. It doesn’t work anymore. To lose daylight at this time of year is bad.”

slaurie@postmedia.com
Time change was never really for farmers. They get up with the sun regardless of what some clock says. It was for city people to get some sun at the end of the day because none of them were bright enough to figure out they could just start an hour earlier and do the same thing.