Daylight Saving Time Debate: Experts Weigh In On Permanent DST Vs Standard Time
Explore the pros and cons of permanent Daylight Saving Time vs standard time, as experts discuss potential effects on health, productivity, and economy
POLICY WIRE — Ottawa, Canada — As Canada navigates the end of Daylight Saving Time, millions of Canadians are setting their clocks back one hour, while others are opting out of the tradition. The Maritime provinces, Quebec, and parts of Ontario and Nunavut will revert to standard time, whereas British Columbia, Alberta, Manitoba, Yukon, and the Northwest Territories will remain on permanent DST.
Researchers have long advocated for an end to time changes, citing concerns over sleep patterns, mental health, physical health, and productivity. However, some experts now argue that permanent DST may not be the best choice. According to Kai-Florian Storch, a professor of psychiatry at McGill University, adopting permanent standard time might be a better option.
When transitioning to DST in the spring, daylight is shifted further into the evening, making the day seem longer. However, maintaining this schedule into the winter months can lead to later sunrises, particularly in northern latitudes. As Rebecca Robillard, a psychology professor at the University of Ottawa, notes, having the sun rise later in the morning can cause mental and physical health issues, including an increased risk of heart attacks, immune disorders, and depression.
Some Canadian cities began changing their clocks in the early 1910s, with the rest of the country standardizing the practice in the late 1960s. Initially, the argument was to increase productivity and facilitate economic interactions with the US and other countries. Now, as western Canada moves away from the practice, provinces may find themselves out of sync with their southern neighbors.
Experts like Patrick Baylis, a professor at the Vancouver School of Economics, emphasize the potential impact on individual productivity, particularly for shift workers and those with less flexible schedules. Baylis notes that the effects might be difficult to track in the short term but expects the long-term data to be telling.
Quebec Premier Paul St-Pierre Plamondon recently announced that his government would put an end to time changes and work to determine whether permanent DST or standard time will be the norm. The province of Ontario had previously stated that it would abandon the practice if its neighbors in Manitoba, Quebec, and New York did the same.
Reporting by Policy-Wire (PW)
