Only time will tell
HodgePodge by Charlie Hodge
Rest assured you will get to rest a little bit more one year from now next Sunday. That’s right – a year from now next Sunday – things will stay the same on the old cycle of time in our world. No more playing with your clocks.
Constant change will no longer be here to stay,
Premier David Eby announced Monday that B.C. residents in major southern population centres will greet a winter sunrise at 9 a.m. while residents in the north will change clocks at around 9:30 a.m next year.
Eby made his announcement of adopting year-round daylight time on the weekend, while confirming that we will still ‘spring forward’ by one hour this Sunday – for the last time.
According to the provincial voter’s anointed one, his decision was made in an effort to make life easier for families, help support a stable thriving economy, and reducing disruptions for businesses.
The changes that transition B.C. solely to the Pacific time zone (as opposed to the current blended Pacific standard and Pacific daylight zones) aligns us with the same time zone as the Yukon. Likewise it will match us with Alberta from November to March.
The shift will also align us with California, Washington, and Oregon from March to November, but an hour ahead outside those months. The change means that on the shortest day of the year, Dec. 21, the sun will not rise in Victoria until 9:03 a.m. In Prince George, the winter solstice sunrise will be at 9:28 a.m.
Confused yet?
I hope Eby slept well on this decision before making up his mind. Dear old Dad (a former Kelowna City Councillor) always told me when I was young that it never hurt to, “sleep on a decision. Unless you have no choice, contemplate any serious decision after a good night’s sleep. I am in no hurry to make a bad decision, Lord knows I can make them fast enough on my own,” he would wisely lecture.
According to Castanet Eby says, “people and businesses will have eight months to prepare for the elimination of the next time change” which has been set for Nov. 1.
Eby is hopeful B.C.’s American neighbours will join the province in ending the disruptive time changes.
Attorney General Niki Sharma said the government has heard from an overwhelming majority of people in B.C. who want to end the back-and-forth of seasonal time changes.
“This shift offers more stability, supports public well-being and reduces twice-yearly, unnecessary disruptions to the routines of parents, shift workers, small businesses, pet owners and so many more,” Sharma claims.
Pet owners?
Sharma said she looks forward to, “enjoying an extra hour of sunlight after work and school for many winters to come.”
Um, okay, walking dog, pet owners? Get it!
Eby’s plan upholds a 2019 promise made when he was attorney general and tabled legislation to make daylight time permanent to end the practice of changing clocks twice a year.
However, B.C. conditioned that change on Washington State, Oregon and California also making the switch, which has not happened because the relevant legislation remains in Congressional limbo.
“The situation on the ground has changed since 2019,” Eby said, when asked about government’s decision to move ahead without waiting on the U.S. states.
“We are able to be a little bit more selfish in our decisions for what is best for British Columbians. It’s clear that British Columbians know what is best for them. They want to have that extra hour of sunlight at the end of the day.”
Parts of the business community, however, are criticizing the change.
Bridgitte Anderson, president and CEO of the Greater Vancouver Board of Trade, said government’s “unilateral change” marks an “unwelcome distraction that will make it more difficult to attract and retain businesses” in British Columbia.
It’s going to be interesting how the change rolls out. Personally, I like it, even though it is currently sounding scattered and confusing.
I’ve got a feeling this concept may become a nightmare or bad dream for Eby. Certainly, I am sure it may cause him a few restless nights and a solid excuse for a warm drink or three to go to sleep.
At the of the day only time will tell whether this was a good idea or not.
