What do you think about the time change? Quebec wants to know
Province launches online questionnaire over abolishing daylight saving time
Quebec Seeks Public Opinion on Time Change
Quebec is initiating an online public consultation to gauge opinions on the biannual time change, specifically whether residents prefer to continue switching between Eastern Standard Time in winter and Daylight Saving Time in summer.
Justice Minister Simon Jolin-Barrette made the announcement during a press conference in Quebec City on Tuesday.
"Every year, the time change raises debates and questions," he stated. "This practice, which dates back to the First World War, has a major impact on the daily lives of Quebecers. The time has come to consider whether to abolish the time change and keep the same time all year round."
The online questionnaire will ask participants for their views on the time change and whether they would favor remaining on Daylight Saving Time year-round or Eastern Standard Time.
The next time change is scheduled for Sunday, Nov. 3, 2024, when most Quebec residents will set their clocks back an hour to Eastern Standard Time. Clocks will spring forward an hour on the second Sunday in March.
The time change has long been a contentious issue, with concerns about sleep loss and negative health effects in the spring, including increased rates of heart attacks and rises in traffic and workplace accidents.
"There's absolutely no benefit to changing the time twice a year, from a health perspective," noted Roger Godbout, a psychiatry professor at the Université de Montréal.
