Yukoners are being asked whether they want to keep the twice-annual time change or permanently adopt a single time. A public engagement campaign has been launched to see whether Yukoners prefer Pacific Daylight Saving Time or Pacific Standard Time if the time change is dropped. Yukon currently observes Pacific Standard Time in the winter months and Pacific Daylight Saving Time in the summer.
Yukoners can participate in an online survey, which is also available in print form, or share their views by email or mail. Other governments in Yukon as well as businesses, organizations and individuals are also invited to provide their written feedback by email or mail.
Through the engagement, people can let the government know which option would best fit their lifestyle and why. The Government of Yukon will consider the input, as well as scientific research and the decisions of neighbouring jurisdictions, when it determines how Yukon should observe time in the future.
Jurisdictions across Canada and Pacific North America are re-examining the way they observe time and potential changes could impact our territory. We need to make a decision on what time regime works best for Yukon and we want to know what Yukoners think before we make that call.
If Yukon permanently adopts Pacific Daylight Saving Time, summertime would be the same as it has for years, sunrises and sunsets would happen one hour later in the winter, and the territory would align with British Columbia when it makes its permanent time change.
If Yukon were to stay on year-round Pacific Standard Time, wintertime would be the same as it is now, sunrises and sunsets would happen one hour earlier in the summer, the territory would permanently be behind British Columbia when it makes its permanent time change, and Yukon would be an additional hour away from other Canadian jurisdictions when they are on Daylight Saving Time (e.g., Alberta would be two hours ahead, Ontario would be four hours ahead).
Many jurisdictions in western North America are reviewing how they set and observe time for a number of reasons, including public health, energy, and the economy. Following their own public engagement, the Government of British Columbia introduced legislation in 2019 to get rid of the seasonal time change and adopt a new permanent Pacific Time equivalent to Pacific Daylight Saving Time.
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