That extra hour of sleep we’re all gifted every November is in danger.
What happened: Manitoba has officially instituted permanent daylight time, eliminating twice-a-year clock changes. B.C. and Alberta both moved to axe the time changes earlier this year, while the Yukon, Saskatchewan, and the Northwest Territories have already adopted year-round times.
Catch-up: Daylight saving time (DST) was adopted as an energy-saving measure during WWI, but with today's technology, it doesn’t make much of a difference. The real reason we’ve kept DST in place for so long is likely economic: with an extra hour of daylight after work, people are more likely to go out and spend money.
The ~US$100 billion golf industry has arguably been the biggest advocate for DST, as it has immensely benefited from having an extra hour of light for players to squeeze in an evening round.
Why it matters: Research has shown that changing our clocks twice a year can have a pretty serious impact on our health and productivity. One study found that the adjustment to daylight saving time can negatively affect worker productivity for up to two weeks.
Bottom line: With the U.S. also potentially ditching the biannual clock changes soon — and Ontario likely to follow suit if it does — DST could one day be a quirky relic that we tell our grandkids about.—LA
