Press release issued and an interview by the Toronto Star

Hello Standard Time supporters 

I was happy to see a press release sent out today. 

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: Oct. 28, 2026

As Quebec Plans to End the Time Change, More Than 92,000 Canadians Call on Ottawa to Choose Permanent Standard Time

Quebec will hear from experts on which clock to keep; petition starter Irene Shone says a new medical journal analysis backs standard time

BRAMPTON, Ont. – Quebec's plan to end the time change has reopened a national question: which clock should Canada keep? Irene Shone of Brampton, whose Change.org petition asking Ottawa for permanent standard time has more than 92,000 signatures, says the science points to standard time.

On Wednesday, Quebec's Parti Québécois government said it plans to table a bill to abolish the time change by spring 2027, and will hear from experts on whether to adopt permanent daylight or standard time. Ontario passed legislation in 2020 that would put the province on permanent daylight time once Quebec and New York State end their time changes.

"Ending clock changes and staying on permanent standard time is supported by scientific research," said Shone. "Provinces should be aligned with their actual geography and their standard time zone. Permanent daylight time means darker winter mornings, which negatively impacts our sleep and mood. Having light in the morning is healthier. Staying on DST is hard on kids walking and waiting for the bus to school in the dark, reduces commuter safety, and makes depression and seasonal affective disorder even worse. Standard time aligns with the sun and each province in Canada should be on their geographically correct standard time rather than the new patchwork of times."

When most Canadians turn their clocks back this Sunday, Nov. 1, B.C., Alberta, Manitoba, the Northwest Territories and parts of northwestern Ontario will stay on permanent daylight time. B.C. made its final clock change on March 8, Alberta and the Northwest Territories followed this spring and Manitoba announced its switch in September. Communities in northwestern Ontario, including Kenora, are moving to stay aligned with Manitoba. The rest of Ontario, Quebec and Atlantic Canada will fall back as usual.

A peer-reviewed analysis published Oct. 5 in the Canadian Medical Association Journal, led by University of British Columbia professor Raymond Lam, concluded that "the preponderance of health evidence favours" permanent standard time, largely because winter morning light keeps the body clock, sleep and mood on track. The authors note that major sleep and chronobiology societies have all called for permanent standard time.

Under permanent daylight time, the analysis found the latest winter sunrise is 9:40 a.m. in Calgary, 9:27 a.m. in Winnipeg and 9:08 a.m. in Vancouver. If Ontario made the same move, Toronto's would shift from 7:51 a.m. to 8:51 a.m. 

Shone's petition asks the Canadian government to stop daylight saving time and enact permanent standard time across the country, rather than leaving Canadians with a patchwork of provincial time rules.

"Even if one person is saved from having a stroke or heart attack or is saved from a car accident, it's worth it," Shone added.

Supporter Voices:

"I am a teacher and own a small farm. The added darkness in the mornings makes chore time more dangerous, driving to work more dangerous, and students express frustration, sleepiness, and depression, which negatively affects their learning. Please revert to Standard time all year to help vulnerable people find better mental and physical health." Jody P.

"Any such decision should be made federally, and the country should move in unison, not one province at a time. Time is not arbitrary; it is based upon the position of the sun." Ron D.

"There is talk of remaining on Daylight Saving Time, but Standard Time is healthier. If we're staying with one time, year-round, let's make it the RIGHT choice." Elizabeth M.

About Change.org:

Change.org is the world's largest petition platform, empowering people everywhere to create the change they want to see. More than 500 million people worldwide use our tools to transform their communities locally, nationally and globally.

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I was also interviewed by the health reporter for the Toronto Star this afternoon. We had a very good conversation and I hope she will have something in the paper tomorrow.  

The CBC also reached out but I missed them.  They did have a good article on line about the Quebec announcement to do away with time changes after we go back to standard time this weekend.  Hope they stay on Standard Time and Ontario follows suit.

https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/montreal/end-time-change-parti-quebecois-9.7399165