Some provinces have opted to stop springing forward for daylight saving time – should Ontario also stop changing the clock?

Manitoba has officially decided to stop changing its clocks twice a year – a move that one sleep expert said could have major implications for sleep, mood and health. But should Ontario be next?

Premier Wab Kinew announced the decision on Sept. 17 after a May 2026 survey by the province of Manitoba showed that 92 per cent of residents wanted to see an end to seasonal time changes. 

Manitoba joins British Columbia, Yukon, the Northwest Territories, Alberta and Saskatchewan, which have also opted to cancel daylight saving time changes.

The province’s plan is to change the time on Sunday, November 1, and keep it there permanently, meaning Manitoba’s time will not change come spring.

Expert says Manitobans opted for the wrong time 

Michael Mak is a psychiatrist and sleep medicine specialist at the Centre for Addiction and Mental Health (CAMH), as well as the vice president of clinical for the Canadian Sleep Society. 

He told Now Toronto that Manitoba should have opted for permanent daylight saving time rather than permanent standard time.

“Not having to switch time zones twice a year is a good thing. The problem with this decision is that they’ve decided to stick permanently with the wrong type of time,” Mak explained. “Daylight saving time is associated with greater health problems and concerns for Canadians, particularly for those in Manitoba.”

He added that the provinces opting to stay on permanent standard time have created a larger gap between the body’s internal clock and the natural light-dark cycle.

“The greater that kind of mismatch that exists, the greater health concerns there will be, especially when it’s dark out in the winter,” Mak said.

One of the biggest concerns is what permanent daylight saving time could mean for Manitobans and waking up during the winter months.

Mak said many people heading to school or work could find themselves starting their day in the dark.

“There’s going to be no sun when people are waking up at their customary wake times and going to class or going to work, and this may mean greater motor vehicle accidents, decreased safety for people who commute,” he said.

Mak explained that sunlight plays an important role in regulating the body’s internal clock.

“Our first exposure to sunlight is what sets our internal body clock for the next 24 hours,” he said.

He also added that there is a relationship between morning light, sleep and mood. Mak said people with seasonal affective disorder can benefit from morning light exposure during permanent standard time.

“Light exposure, particularly in the morning, means that they have better mood and better sleep,” Mak said.

Without that morning sunlight, residents may experience destabilised sleep and destabilised mood, according to Mak.

Mak said adolescents could be most affected by the change.

“Adolescents are most susceptible to time changes,” he said.

While teenagers are already fighting their internal clock to wake up early for school, these darker mornings won’t help.

Mak said permanent daylight saving time could mean teenagers are forced to wake up even earlier against their internal body clocks, particularly during the winter when there is little morning sunlight.

“Their internal body clock is going to be set [so] that their highest alertness won’t happen until later in the morning, maybe even in the early afternoon,” he said. “That might have implications for not just health but also scholastics.”

According to Mak, there is stronger evidence of health effects from the spring clock change, when people lose an hour of sleep.

There is less data on health concerns following the fall change as well. However, Mak said there are still potential effects.

A lack of sleep in Canada

The clock change discussion also comes while most Canadians don’t get enough sleep for their age groups.

“There’s a trend towards sleeping less and less in terms of total sleep duration,” Mak explained. 

For adults aged 18 to 64, Mak said the recommended amount is seven to nine hours, while adults 65 and older are recommended to get seven to eight hours. Teenagers may need up to 10 hours.

Mak said the effects of being out of sync can have more symptoms than just being tired, including shorter sleep periods, cardiovascular disease, and obesity.

He also added that the mismatch can significantly impact mood and increase levels of depression.

How to sleep better if daylight savings impacts you

Rest assured, for people trying to maintain a healthy sleep schedule, Mak advised that consistency is important when it comes to waking up.

“It’s important to wake up every day at the same time because your wake time is a proxy for your first light exposure per 24 hours, and that stabilises your internal body clock for the next 24 hours,” he explained.

Additionally, Mak recommends going to bed when you feel sleepy, instead of at a set time every night, as forcing sleep can usually just lead to less quality snoozes.

Mak also suggested using a seasonal depression lamp for anyone facing dark winter mornings, following the switch.

“I think getting a seasonal depression lamp is going to be helpful. One that’s minimum brightness 10,000 lux,” he advised.

He suggested using the light for about half an hour after waking.

“I think that’s going to be helpful for mood, energy, and sleep.”

Will Ontario stop the clock change?

The latest news on the time change in Ontario comes from 2020, when the province passed Bill 214. The Time Amendment Act makes it so the province will only make the change against daylight saving time once New York State and Quebec adopt the same permanent time change.

Ontario shares heavy trade, financial, and transit connections with Quebec and New York, so it refuses to act on the bill alone to prevent mismatched time zones that could disrupt business.

Now Toronto has reached out to Ontario’s Office of the Premier but did not hear back by publication.