Ontario’s Northwestern Region to Adopt Permanent Daylight Time
Ontario’s northwest region is gearing up for a significant time change as it prepares to align with Manitoba by transitioning to permanent daylight saving time. Indigenous Affairs Minister Greg Rickford highlighted the overwhelming support from municipalities, First Nations, and businesses for this shift.
The province is set to make a regulatory amendment in the Time Act on Nov. 1 to enable regions west of the 90th meridian to synchronize with Manitoba. This decision comes in response to Manitoba’s recent announcement to remain on daylight time year-round, putting the northwestern Ontario region, originally in the central standard time zone, in a challenging position.
Rickford outlined the three options considered, with the consensus being to adopt what he dubbed as “Wab Kinew time,” staying in line with Manitoba. This move follows extensive consultations with various stakeholders, resulting in strong support for the permanent time adjustment.
New Democrat Sol Mamakwa, representing the riding of Kiiwetinoong, emphasized the importance of community voices in this decision-making process and expressed satisfaction with the upcoming shift to permanent daylight saving time.
This change aligns with similar moves in other provinces, such as British Columbia’s shift to permanent Pacific Daylight Time and Alberta’s adoption of permanent daylight time, known as Alberta time. By embracing this transition, Ontario’s northwest region is set to synchronize its clocks and join the growing trend towards consistent timekeeping practices across different regions.
Keyphrase: Ontario daylight time
