Canada spans multiple time zones. It can be confusing to keep track of what time it is in different parts of the country especially if you're traveling across Canada. With such a wide range of territory it is important to understand Canada's time zones and how Daylight Saving Time (DST) affects them. Canada has six standard time zones, from UTC-3.5 in Newfoundland to UTC-8 in British Columbia. The time zones are:
Newfoundland is 4.5 hours ahead of Pacific Standard Time which means that when it is 9:00 AM in Vancouver it is already 1:30 PM in St. John's. This time difference means that it is important for Canadians to be aware of the time zone they are in especially when traveling across the country.
Daylight saving time is observed in most parts of Canada. It begins at 2:00 am on the second Sunday in March and ends at 2:00 am on the first Sunday in November. However, there are a few exceptions to this. Saskatchewan does not observe daylight saving time and remains on Central Standard Time (CST) all year round. Some areas of British Columbia also do not observe daylight saving time such as the region of Creston which remains on Mountain Standard Time (MST) all year round. Some Canadian cities that do not observe DST even though they are located in provinces or territories that do:
The reasons for not observing DST in these cities vary but often include concerns about the impact of the practice on local agriculture as well as concerns about the health and safety of residents. Overall the practice of DST in Canada remains a topic of debate, with some arguing that it is outdated and unnecessary while others argue that it still has a role to play in conserving energy and making better use of available daylight.