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DST Changes Next Spring To Keep Ontario In Sync With Other
Jurisdictions
TORONTO, Oct. 27 /CNW/ - This weekend will be the last time that Ontario
clocks will "fall back" on the last Sunday in October, Parliamentary Assistant
David Zimmer announced today on behalf of Attorney General Michael Bryant.
Ontarians should remember to move their clocks back one hour before going
to bed Saturday night. Daylight saving time will end at 2 a.m. on Sunday
morning.
Beginning next spring, daylight saving time will start on the second
Sunday in March, and end on the first Sunday in November. Similar changes were
adopted within the past year by several Canadian provinces and territories as
well as by the United States.
"Keeping daylight saving time in sync with the United States is what's
best for Ontario," said Zimmer. "It means order and lack of confusion in all
sectors of our economy, and may help conserve energy, reduce accidents and
prevent crime. It just makes sense."
In July 2005, Bryant created an inter-ministerial committee, led by
Zimmer, to look into the advantages and disadvantages of changing daylight
saving time. The committee reviewed public safety, energy, trade and other
issues, and consulted with stakeholders and other levels of government.
The committee heard from groups representing the agriculture, education,
energy, financial, industry, transportation and other sectors. The majority of
people supported synchronizing Ontario's daylight saving time with the United
States.
"The results of our consultation were overwhelmingly supportive of
staying in sync with the United States," said Zimmer. "This change will
benefit businesses and individual Ontarians alike."
As a result of the changes announced in the United States, most Canadian
jurisdictions now using daylight saving time will also amend their dates. In
Ontario, daylight saving time is governed by the Time Act, legislation that is
the responsibility of the Attorney General.
"We shone a light on daylight saving time and decided staying in sync
with the United States makes sense for Ontario," added Bryant.
Disponible en français
<<
www.attorneygeneral.jus.gov.on.ca
>>
Backgrounder
DAYLIGHT SAVING TIME
The McGuinty government is maintaining Ontario's competitive advantage by
coordinating changes to daylight saving time with the United States and other
Canadian jurisdictions.
History of Daylight Saving Time
Daylight saving time was originally instituted during the First World War
as a means to save energy in Europe, the United States and Canada. It was
cancelled at the end of the war, but many countries returned to daylight
saving time during the Second World War.
After the Second World War, the use of daylight saving time in Ontario
was a matter of local custom and practice. Municipal by-laws dealt with
whether or not a city would observe daylight saving time. Historically,
daylight saving time began in April and ended in October.
The United States established a formal system of time zones and daylight
saving time in 1966, and adjusted its start and finish dates in 1986. In
Ontario, the Time Amendment Act, 1986, revised the Time Act to set start and
finish dates for daylight saving time, consistent with the dates set by the
United States.
Extension of Daylight Saving Time
In 2005, the United States passed legislation that extends daylight
saving time by four weeks, beginning in March 2007. As a result of this, the
McGuinty government consulted with Ontarians to consider the advantages and
disadvantages of changing daylight saving time in this province, as well.
An inter-ministerial committee, led by David Zimmer, Parliamentary
Assistant to Attorney General Michael Bryant, consulted with 23 stakeholder
groups representing the agriculture, education, energy, finance and capital
markets, industry, trade and manufacturing, public safety, transportation and
government sectors.
The committee heard from business groups who were unanimous in
recommending that Ontario stay in sync with the United States to avoid
confusion and disruption in cross-border trade and communication. Parents and
educators believed the extra daylight provided by the change would help keep
youth active in outdoor activities. The committee also heard that an extra
daylight hour would have the potential to reduce pedestrian injuries and
fatalities in the latter part of the afternoon.
Beginning in spring 2007, daylight saving time in Ontario will start on
the second Sunday of March, and end on the first Sunday in November.
Ontario was one of the first Canadian jurisdictions to announce that it
will be synchronizing its daylight saving time dates with the United States.
The other Canadian jurisdictions that will adopt the new dates are:
<<
- British Columbia
- Alberta
- Manitoba
- Quebec
- New Brunswick
- Nova Scotia
- Prince Edward Island
- Yukon
- Northwest Territories
To date, Newfoundland and Nunavut have not stated if they will adopt the
new dates. Saskatchewan does not use daylight saving time.
Disponible en français
www.attorneygeneral.jus.gov.on.ca
>>
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For further information: Greg Crone, Ministry of the Attorney General, Minister's Office, (416) 326-1785; Brendan Crawley, Ministry of the Attorney General, Communications Branch, (416) 326-2210
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