Daylight Savings Time in Alberta
Day Light Savings Time Explained
Spring Forward, Clocks Jump Ahead… Fall Back, An Hour for Cleaning Instead.
When does Daylight Savings Time End?
In 2024, Daylight Savings Time ends at 2 am on Sunday, November 3, 2024.
Fall Back – First Sunday in November
Do not forget that the Clocks currently Roll Back in Calgary, Alberta, all too soon! The clocks get rolled back one hour. This will affect all of Alberta. Fall Daylight Savings Time occurs at the beginning of November each year to revert us to Standard Time. The good news is that we gain an hour.
When does Daylight Savings Time Start?
In 2025, Daylight Savings Time starts at 2 am on Sunday, March 19, 2025.
Spring Forward – Second Sunday in March
Alberta currently operates on Daylight Savings Time. The springtime change takes place on the second Sunday in March. March is the month we start to realize that winter will soon be over. That Spring Fever Cleaning phenomenon is just around the corner. Do not forget to put your clocks forward for one hour. It will be great to have longer days and, eventually, no snow. They say: “If March comes in like a lion, it goes out like a lamb."
Daylight is one of the primary reasons for the ‘Spring Forward, then Fall Back Scenario’ in Alberta. The decision is an economic one that Albertans continue to debate. Yet some feel that the extra hour of daylight keeping us up and about makes us more productive.
Daylight Savings Time has been up for debate in a big way. On October 18, 2021, Albertans decided through a referendum question not to make daylight savings time permanent. While it sounded like a great idea for some, it would have meant that the winter sun would have risen a lot later and almost certainly, most folks would have been going to work in the dark.
“Dark winter mornings can be hard to deal with," says Dr. Michael Antle, a neuroscience professor at the University of Calgary. And so, for many, it was a relief that the change to permanent daylight savings did not happen.
You can find the Results of the Referendum Question at Elections Alberta – Senate Election and Referendum Vote (page 75).
Daylight Savings Time in Alberta for Other Years
Fall 2024
November 3, 2024 – Clocks Fall Back One Hour
Spring 2025
March 19, 2025 – Clocks Spring Forward One Hour
Fall 2025
November 2, 2025 – Clocks Fall Back One Hour
Spring 2026
March 8, 2026 – Clocks Spring Forward One Hour
Fall 2026
November 1, 2026 – Clocks Fall Back One Hour
Spring 2027
March 14, 2027 – Clocks Spring Forward One Hour
Fall 2027
November 7, 2027 – Clocks Fall Back One Hour
Spring 2028
March 12, 2028 – Clocks Spring Forward One Hour
Fall 2028
November 5, 2028 – Clocks Fall Back One Hour
Spring 2029
March 11, 2029 – Clocks Spring Forward One Hour
Fall 2029
November 4, 2029 – Clocks Fall Back One Hour
About Daylight Savings Time
Daylight Savings Time was introduced to make the best use of the time the sun shone, giving natural light rather than having to use artificial light and, subsequently, unnecessary fuel.
Technically, it is not Daylight Savings Time; instead, the correct terminology is Daylight Saving Time (Saving – Singular, not Savings Plural). However, given that everyone generally refers to it as Daylight Savings Time (plural), we have adopted the same terminology here.
Daylight Savings Time pushes the clocks forward every Spring to allow for an earlier start to the day. Most provinces in Canada that practice it, initiate Daylight Savings Time on the second Sunday in March each year. DST runs until the first Sunday in November. Alberta currently follows this pattern. The 2 am hour for the switch has been deliberately chosen. The majority of people will not imminently notice this change because they are sleeping. They simply wake up to the revised time.
Some History on Daylight Savings Time
Germany was the first country to introduce Daylight Savings Time. Not long after, Canada followed suit. Yet, Benjamin Franklin facetiously entertained the idea in 1784 of saving candlewax for lighting. But it was not taken seriously at the time.
An English Builder named William Willett was the first to lobby for it in parliament as a viable option when he returned to the idea in 1907. However, Germany was the first to enforce it during World War 1 to save on coal needed to produce electricity for lighting.
To this day, the economy and declining crime rates have influenced the decision to stick with it. Nevertheless, there is a counterargument. Some have expressed health concerns and highlighted possible injury risks due to tiredness from that hour’s loss in the Spring.
Each province in Canada has its own rules on when or whether to use Daylight Savings Time. Currently, Alberta uses it and has since 1918. For a while, it looked like the Alberta Government might do away with the twice-yearly change, but by the end of October 2017, they had scrapped a Bill recommending the Removal of Daylight Savings Time. However, the issue reared again in 2021, with the debate on the advantages and disadvantages of time change continuing.
Yet, for now, the status quo remains here in Alberta.
Advantages of Daylight Savings Time
Daylight Savings Time does have some benefits which are highlighted below.
A Reminder for Safety and Home Maintenance Checks.
For many, the Spring and Fall Daylight Savings Time events act as a reminder that the season is changing. It is a good time to check the batteries in the Fire and Smoke Alarms and Carbon Monoxide Detectors. Check for Light bulb replacements too. Did you remember to check those outside taps and turn them on or off?
The time change could also be a good time to replace your furnace filter and get your Furnace and Ducts Cleaned. However, we are not advocating that you only change your furnace filter twice a year but whenever it needs it.
A Trigger for Significant Holidays Preparations.
Significant holidays such as Easter, Christmas or New Year, will not be that far away from a time change. When preparing for those festivities, do not forget to give cleaning services for your home some consideration.
We have some great Carpet Cleaning Deals if you would like your guests to see clean carpets over the holiday season. If you are looking ahead to Spring, check out: 12 Carpet cleaning hacks for your Spring Clean.
We also have an article on the Benefits of Professional Carpet Cleaning rather than doing it yourself. Or why not consider giving a friend or family member a gift of one of our cleaning services? Take care not to leave it too late. Give us a call at 403-984-3680 and Book your Cleaning Service Now!!
Possible Increase in Vitamin D Levels.
Those extra-long days generally tend to mean more time outdoors. Safe exposure to UV Rays from the Sun (protection notwithstanding) plays a significant part in the production of Vitamin D.
Canadians living in northern latitudes (which includes Alberta) can be pretty susceptible to Vitamin D deficiency. According to Medical News Today, moderate sun exposure is one of the most natural ways to enhance your supply of vitamin D. Among other things, Vitamin D is necessary for healthy bones, muscles and the heart.
May help improve Sleep.
After dealing with the initial disruption from an hour’s sleep deprivation in the Spring, daylight savings time may enhance sleep. Not only is the Sun good for vitamin D levels it also enhances serotonin as Vitamin D3 helps the manufacture of serotonin molecules.
Healthy Serotonin levels convert to the sleep hormone melatonin in the evening subsequently increasing your odds of a better night’s sleep. By the way, did you know there is a World Sleep Day?
It may increase Happiness.
Serotonin also has the added advantage of stabilizing our moods. Frequently referred to as one of the happy hormones, it is often cited as “The Confidence Molecule,” too. This is because serotonin manages our moods and helps provide a steady dose of healthy self-confidence. Yet simply being out in the fresh air enhances our sense of well-being.
It may improve Health.
Getting out means we tend to walk more, and walking has its own set of benefits. The Benefits of Walking range from increased brain flow, to protecting your heart to being a natural anti-depressant.
With better sleep, added supplies of vitamin D and more exercise there is a good chance you will lose some unwanted pounds too.
Want some Fun? Try out a Quiz on Daylight Savings Time
Here are two quizzes to try for fun…
Finally…
Why not ‘Spring into Action’ with one of our Cleaning Services?
Or one of the following may be a great ‘Fallback’ when funds are tight, and new carpets or upholstery is out of the question.
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