‘I’m very, very open’: Doug Ford on eliminating seasonal time changes in Ontario following other provinces

After several provinces adopted a permanent time, Ontario Premier Doug Ford said he is open to also eliminating seasonal time changes in the province if neighbouring jurisdictions are in agreement. 

Earlier this year, several provinces announced a transition to permanent daylight savings or standard time, eliminating the seasonal clock changes. Meanwhile, most of Ontario still had to turn their clocks back an hour last weekend. 

While parts of Northwestern Ontario have moved to permanent daylight saving time, the time change remained in most of the province, which is now on eastern standard time. 

Speaking with reporters on Wednesday at Queen’s Park, Ford emphasized that Ontario would need to stay aligned with neighbouring jurisdictions like Quebec and New York to maintain economic ties. 

“We have to be in line with Quebec and align the lines of New York for the financial sector, [it] just makes life easier,” he said. 

However, the premier did not rule out the possibility of moving to a permanent time in the rest of the province, saying he is open to discussions with Quebec. 

While Quebec also turned its clocks back to standard time on Sunday, Premier Paul St-Pierre Plamondon has announced his administration is considering ending the seasonal time changes moving forward, calling the practice counterproductive and saying it leads to adaptation challenges for children. 

The province’s administration is still deciding whether to adopt daylight saving or standard hours. 

If Ontario were to adopt a permanent time, Ford emphasized there would need to be consensus with Quebec, given that the province shares a border with Ottawa. 

“I’m easygoing; this argument’s been going on for decades. If Quebec and New York and the eastern corridor of the U.S. wants to do it, I’m all in,” the premier said. 

“Am I open? I’m very, very open to discussions with the premier of Quebec. We’re gonna be discussing this and hopefully we’ll come up with a consensus because we can’t go on up in Ottawa, go across the river, and there’s an hour behind either way, we need to be in the same scene.” 

Acknowledging that several provinces have adopted a permanent time earlier this year, the premier also said ending the time changes could help ease time differences between jurisdictions. 

Provincial time changes cause confusion

Alberta, B.C., Manitoba, Saskatchewan, Yukon, and the Northwest Territories all abolished the seasonal time changes, adopting either daylight saving or standard time indefinitely. 

Most provincial administrations said the change would end confusion and frustration for residents, as well as improve their quality of life and health. 

On the other hand, the change is already causing confusion among residents, as the time difference between provinces has been altered. 

Some residents were confused to find their provinces had chosen to end the time changes, while others warned their devices did not automatically follow the change.