Full Breakdown
Ontario’s Northwest to Adopt Permanent Daylight Time
By Drooid · · How we work
Core Change in the Northwest Region
Ontario plans to amend the provincial Time Act — effective in early November — so that municipalities, First Nations and businesses west of the 90th meridian will remain on daylight time year-round. The adjustment aligns the area with Manitoba’s “Wab Kinew time,” eliminating the twice-annual clock changes that currently affect the central-standard-time zone.
Regional Context of Time-Zone Shifts
Manitoba announced last month that it will stay on daylight time permanently, putting it one hour ahead of the other Prairie provinces. Earlier this year, British Columbia moved to permanent Pacific daylight time, and Alberta adopted “Alberta time,” matching Saskatchewan’s year-round schedule. Ontario’s proposal follows these inter-provincial moves and addresses the “spot” created for northwestern Ontario by the existing time-zone arrangement.
Official Statements & Responses
Indigenous Affairs Minister Greg Rickford said the province consulted municipalities, businesses and First Nations, receiving “overwhelming consensus” to keep clocks unchanged. New Democrat Sol Mamakwa, representing the Kiiwetinoong riding, praised the collaborative process and the permanent adoption of daylight savings. The provincial government indicated that the regulatory change will be enacted through the Time Act without further public consultation.
Data and Consensus
Surveys conducted among local stakeholders returned “overwhelmingly unanimous” support, with 90 to 94 percent of respondents favoring the permanent daylight-time arrangement. The high level of agreement was reported by both news outlets covering the announcement.
Verbatim Quotes
- “That put northwestern Ontario, who sits in the central standard time zone, in a bit of a spot, to say the least,” — Greg Rickford, indigenous affairs minister
- “The other option ... we took by unanimous consensus, was to not change our clocks and go to what I’m calling Wab Kinew time,” — Greg Rickford, indigenous affairs minister
- “After having brought the voices of our communities across the northwest to the table, we are happy the advocacy to observe daylight savings will be implemented permanently,” — New Democrat Sol Mamakwa
- “We are proud of our collaborative efforts to deliver what works for the North. We thank everyone who reached out and shared their thoughts on this important decision.” — British Columbia
These statements capture the perspectives of the minister, the regional legislator and the broader inter-provincial context surrounding the time-zone realignment.