Will Daylight Saving Time Be Abolished? The Debate Is Heating Up
The countdown has begun and in just one week millions of clocks will move forward again, reigniting a debate that refuses to fade away.
Since 2007, the shift to daylight saving time has taken place on the second Sunday of March. This year, it lands right at the end of Quebec’s spring break. And that timing is raising fresh questions. Why not move the clock change earlier, giving students time to adjust before heading back to school? Or better yet, why not scrap the system altogether?
The idea of changing the clock was first introduced in Europe in 1916, during the First World War, as a way to conserve energy. Canada followed in the 1920s. But more than a century later, many experts and citizens are asking whether the practice still makes sense.
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In Quebec, a government consultation held in 2024 revealed overwhelming public sentiment. Ninety-one percent of respondents said they want to end the biannual clock change. And notably, nearly three-quarters expressed a preference for staying on daylight saving time year-round. That’s a strong signal and it reflects a broader shift in public opinion.
Some regions in Canada have already moved on. Saskatchewan, Yukon and parts of British Columbia no longer adjust their clocks. Ontario passed legislation in 2020 to eliminate the seasonal change, but implementation depends on coordination with neighboring jurisdictions, including Quebec and New York State. Meanwhile, parts of Quebec’s Lower North Shore already remain on standard time throughout the year.
Health experts continue to raise concerns. Disrupting the body’s internal clock, known as the circadian rhythm, can affect sleep, metabolism and mental health. Statistics from Quebec’s automobile insurance board show a 25 percent increase in injury-related road accidents in the month following time changes between 2019 and 2023. Is there a direct cause-and-effect link? That remains debated, but the correlation is difficult to ignore.
Interestingly, Quebec’s spring break itself has historical roots tied to student fatigue. In the 1970s, education officials observed high absenteeism between February and April. That led to the introduction of a winter break in 1979, designed to ease seasonal exhaustion. Yet even with that pause, many argue the clock change still disrupts performance and well-being.
So as the next shift approaches, families prepare to lose an hour of sleep and policymakers face renewed pressure. The question is no longer whether people dislike the change. It is whether governments are ready to act.
Stay with us as this story develops and continue following our coverage for updates on decisions that could soon reshape how we measure time itself.
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