Permanent B.C. time change concerns businesses on both sides of Canada-U.S. border

With B.C.’s imminent change to permanent daylight saving time, businesses on both sides of the border are trying to figure out how this will affect them.

There are worries that there will be confusion around changing time zones.

“We have no right to do anything here, it’s all controlled out of Washington state and Whatcom County in Bellingham,” Brian Calder with the Point Roberts Chamber of Commerce told Global News.

Guy Occhiogrosso with the Bellingham Chamber of Commerce said that he is concerned that people crossing the border won’t remember or factor in the time difference.

“What happens if we make a reservation to go north and we get the time wrong, or what happens if someone’s coming south to go shopping and they look up the store hours and it’s incorrect?” he said.

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British Columbia is adopting year-round daylight saving time, meaning that clocks will spring forward by one hour for the last time on Sunday.

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After that, there will be no more seasonal time changes in the province, Premier David Eby said Monday.

For four months of the year, from November to March, B.C.’s new time will match Alberta and the parts of B.C. on Mountain Time.

The province will also remain one hour ahead of Washington state, Oregon and California during the winter months.

From March to November, clocks will align with our U.S. neighbours to the south.

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On Monday, Eby said that originally, the province committed to wait for its U.S. neighbours.

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“But the reality is that they’re stuck,” Eby said.

“And we want to help give them the push that they need. Someone’s got to go first. To be fair, the Yukon went first and we thank them for that. But we’re going to give them a push. And we’re also going to make decisions right now where British Columbia decides what’s best for us.”

Other organizations told Global News they are working to figure out what the time changes mean.

Vancouver Canucks games could start at 8 p.m. once the time change is permanent.

“We were made aware of the province’s decision through the public announcement and are working with the NHL and our broadcast partners to better understand any potential scheduling and broadcast implications,” the organization said in a statement on Tuesday.

A spokesperson for Vancouver’s International Airport also said they are concerned.

“Alignment between neighbouring jurisdictions is fundamental to efficient flight scheduling, airline operations, and passenger connectivity,” the airport said in a statement.

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