MONTREAL -- Quebecers will join most of Canada this weekend in once again rolling their clocks forward one hour for daylight time, but it could be for the last time.
At 2 a.m. Sunday, daylight time will begin, meaning people will lose an hour of sleep this weekend as they spring forward into the work week.
But a new law that was passed in Ontario could soon change this bi-annual ritual.
Last November, the Ontario government passed legislation tabled by Ottawa MPP Jeremy Roberts to end the changing of clocks in a bid to make daylight time permanent. The one caveat, however, is that the change will only happen if neighbouring jurisdictions are also on board.
The province’s attorney general said the legislation would only take effect if governments in Quebec and New York agree.
In the fall, a group of Montrealers called Stop Time Change QC submitted a petition to the National Assembly to stay on daylight time. At the time, Quebec Premier Francois Legault said it was something the government "will look at eventually, but not right now."
One of the benefits to making the change permanent, according to Roberts, is more consumerism by giving residents more daylight hours at the end of the day.
He also added that studies have shown that the bi-annual tradition can cause “serious negative effects,” including increased depression rates, heart attacks and strokes.
