Good news, Canada: Daylight Saving Time (DST) will soon be upon us, with clocks set to spring forward on March 9, 2025, at 2 a.m. local time. While the shift may cost many Canadians an hour of sleep, it also signals the arrival of longer daylight hours during the spring and summer months.
Individuals across most Canadian provinces should manually set their clocks forward one hour before heading to bed on the night of March 8. While digital devices like smartphones and smartwatches will likely make the adjustment automatically, it’s still wise to double-check them upon waking.
Daylight Saving Time is commonly defined as the period—lasting eight months—when many regions of North America adjust their clocks to allow for extended daylight. This change means people enjoy more light during evening hours, and when standard time returns, mornings once again benefit from earlier sunrises.
Interestingly, DST is not universally embraced. Some Canadians, particularly those residing in Yukon, most of Saskatchewan, and various parts of Quebec, Ontario, and British Columbia, maintain standard time throughout the year.
Originally, DST emerged during wartime as part of energy conservation measures—allowing for reduced dependence on incandescent lighting by shifting work schedules. This tradition has been around for over 100 years, thanks to the advocacy of British builder William Willett, who first proposed it back in 1907. Although Willett didn’t live to see it enacted, the Summertime Act of 1916 instituted these seasonal shifts.
Fast forward to today, where studies are beginning to challenge DST’s continued relevance. Research from the Journal of Sleep Research highlighted how the onset of DST can disrupt natural sleep regulation, creating negative health impacts, including sleep loss. Roger Godbout, clinical psychologist from the Sleep Laboratory at Riviere-des-Prairies Mental Health Hospital, noted, “You’ve caused your body clock, your circadian clock, to get out of sync with the day-night cycles.”
A long-standing debate involves whether or not to eliminate DST altogether. Some lawmakers, including former President Donald Trump, have suggested making daylight saving time permanent. Trump declared it “inconvenient and very costly to our Nation” and emphasized efforts to end the practice altogether on social media.
Senator Rick Scott, R-Florida, reintroduced the bipartisan Sunshine Protection Act, aimed at abolishing the time change entirely. While this measure previously garnered approval from the Senate, it failed to pass through the House. Some states have already made strides toward abolishing the time change; nineteen states—including Alabama and Arkansas—have enacted legislation to permit staying on standard time year-round, contingent on Congressional approval.
Public sentiment reflects dissatisfaction with the current biannual time switch, with many preferring either year-round standard time or permanent daylight saving time. A recent poll indicated approximately 43% of Americans want continuous standard time, contrasted with 32% expressing fondness for permanent daylight saving time.
This growing movement to reconsider semiannual time changes echoes globally, as evidenced by the European Parliament's earlier discussion to eliminate clock changes entirely. Although they were working toward ending DST by 2021, the issue has stalled amid broader legislative concerns.
Similarly, states like Texas have been vocal about wanting to eliminate DST. Recent proposals have entered the Texas legislature, including Senate Bill 64, which aims to keep the state permanently on standard time. This perspective is echoed by Senator Judith Zaffirini, D-Laredo, who argued, “The twice-a-year clock change is disruptive and unnecessary,” and noted connections between time shifts and increased accidents and adverse health effects.
While the debate on whether to maintain or abolish DST continues, one thing if for sure: the practice remains firmly cemented within North American cultural practices, bringing both anticipation and frustration as major observances like federal or state laws are drawn up. For now, Canadians and Americans must prepare to “spring forward” this March, adjusting their clocks and schedules yet again. The question remains: What will be the future of DST?