Manitoba sticking with daylight time year-round following survey

Manitoba Premier Wab Kinew announced that residents will stop changing their clocks for the last time, as the province will permanently adopt daylight time. In a survey of 72,000 residents, 58 per cent favored staying with central daylight time. Only 34 per cent wanted the province to switch to standard time year-round. Premier Kinew stated, "We heard from Manitobans loud and clear – no more changing the clocks in Manitoba."

This change will eliminate the bi-annual time adjustments that families must endure each spring and fall. While more daylight in the evenings during winter will benefit residents, it will also lead to darker mornings for school and work. Premier Kinew had initially preferred central standard time year-round due to its health benefits of more morning light.

Alberta and British Columbia recently announced plans to switch to permanent daylight time, aligning their clocks year-round with Saskatchewan, which ended time changes in 1966. If Manitoba had chosen standard time year-round, it would have synchronized with the other Prairie provinces. Winnipeg Chamber of Commerce CEO Loren Remillard welcomed the decision, noting that more daylight in the evening will create more opportunities for businesses such as restaurants, retailers, and farmers.