Alberta’s premier consulting on scrapping clock changes, prefers more light at night

FORT ST. JOHN, B.C. — Alberta Premier Danielle Smith says her government will consult on doing away with twice-a-year clock changes.

And she says if a switch is made, she would prefer going to permanent daylight time.

Smith says she believes if you asked people if they want to stop changing their clocks, the question would likely get overwhelming support.

Her comments come as British Columbians prepare to spring their timepieces forward this Sunday for one final time as that province adopts year-round daylight time, aligning with Fort St. John’s time zone.

Smith has said, with Saskatchewan’s use of year-round central standard time, B.C.’s shift raises questions about whether Alberta should aim for consistency across the western provinces.

Almost five years ago, a referendum question was put to Albertans to keep daylight time year-round, but it failed by the narrowest of margins — 50.2 per cent to 49.8 per cent.

Smith says she likes more sunlight at night and believes most others do, too.

“So going to standard 12 months of the year would be a big adjustment for people,” she said at an unrelated announcement in Cochrane on Thursday.

This report by The Canadian Press was first published March 5th, 2026.

Lisa Johnson, The Canadian Press