Why doesn’t Saskatchewan change its clocks?

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In Saskatchewan, time stays still.

The Prairie province keeps its clocks set to central standard time year-round, while the rest of the Canadian provinces adjust their clocks twice a year to maximize daylight and save on energy costs.

“I want to know why Saskatchewan is the only … [province] that does not participate in daylight saving,” said Naomi Hansen, a curious Saskatoon resident who put her question to the new CBC podcast Good Question, Saskatchewan.

“We’re on ‘Sask. time,’ as I would call it. We are unique in that.”

Saskatchewan adopted its Time Act in 1966, which states the province will stay on central standard time.

This means for part of the year, Saskatchewan is on the same time as Alberta. The rest of the year, clocks sync with Manitoba.

“I think of it as a made-in-Saskatchewan compromise,” said Stan Shadick, a retired astronomer. 

“Half the time, we’re satisfying those people in Saskatchewan who live close to Alberta and half the time we’re living we’re satisfying the interests of people who live near Manitoba.”

LISTEN | Why doesn’t Saskatchewan change its clocks?

There are three border communities in Saskatchewan that do roll their clocks back and forth in time with their neighbouring province: Lloydminster, Creighton, and Denare Beach.

“The large majority of our residents work in Manitoba,” said Bruce Fidler, mayor of Creighton. “It just was that much easier for us to switch to Manitoba time and just stay on that time with them.”

Daylight time is meant to allow people to enjoy an extra hour of daylight at the end of the day. Some Saskatchewanians who move elsewhere said the value of it is debatable.

“I despise the time change. It’s unnecessary,” said Dylan Rose, a member of Red Pheasant Cree Nation who lives in Vancouver.

When the clocks change in British Columbia, Rose feels like their “productivity goes down for a week.”

For those who stay in Saskatchewan, being out of sync with the rest of the country is also challenging.

“If I were setting up a meeting now, in February, for a meeting in April, that completely throws me off,” said Arinjay Banerjee.

“I have to figure out if their times are changing and ours are not, so I think that’s really, really frustrating.”

Banerjee, who immigrated from India, said extended family also can’t keep track of what time it is in Saskatchewan.

“So my mom would be like, ‘oh, you’re going to work early.’ She doesn’t get that their time changed and it’s different now.”

As for Naomi Hansen, she will continue to rely on Google to sort out what the time difference is between Saskatchewan and other provinces at various times of year.

“It would absolutely be easier if everyone was on the same time.”

Your burning questions about Saskatchewan, answered weekly. Nothing too big, too small, or too weird. What are you wondering? Email goodquestionsask@cbc.ca or fill in the form below.