Ontario MPPs have voted to end the biannual practice of changing the clocks for daylight saving time, but will await Quebec and the state of New York to sign on similar laws before making the change.
The legislation will only come into effect “in coordination” with New York State and Quebec. With New York City, the consideration was for the benefit of Ontario’s markets to share the same time zones; and for Quebec, the cooperation is considered necessary due to logistical reasons.
Some Canadian jurisdictions like Saskatchewan and the Yukon have already abandoned the time-change tradition. Alberta and British Columbia are also considering shrugging off the practice.
The jurisdictions that have considered ending the practice debated on whether to settle with permanent standard time or permanent daylight saving time. Roberts said Bill 214 decided to go with the latter because more sunlight in the evening “will likely generate more economic activity” and reduce robberies, quoting studies by JPMorgan Chase and Brookings Institution.
Bill 214 still needs to receive royal assent from Ontario lieutenant governor Elizabeth Dowdeswell.
The Time Amendments Act consequentially affects other Acts, including the Election Act, the Labour Relations Act, 1995, and the Mining Act.