Daylight saving time 2026: Here’s when you should set your clocks forward
Global News
Attention, Canada: Don’t forget clocks spring forward one hour when daylight saving time begins March 8.
Winter may still be lingering but it’s almost time to set those clocks forward one hour, marking the beginning of daylight saving time (DST) for 2026.
Daylight saving time will begin this year on March 8, at 2 a.m. local time as the clock springs forward to 3 a.m. local time. While we might lose an hour of sleep by “springing forward,” it also marks the day when evenings grow brighter, mornings feel a little earlier, and everyone is reminded that spring is on the way.
Canadians in most time zones should set their manual devices ahead an hour on March 7 before heading to bed. Smartphones, smartwatches and other digital and wifi-enabled devices will likely automatically adjust while you’re sleeping, but it doesn’t hurt to check them when you wake up on March 8.
Daylight saving time is the eight-month-long period between March and November when the majority of the country adjusts its clocks.
By “springing forward” in March, we allow for more daylight in the spring and summer months. By “falling back” in November, we allow more daylight in the mornings.
Not all Canadians adhere to daylight saving time, however. Yukon, most of Saskatchewan and some parts of Quebec, Ontario and B.C. stay on standard time all year round.
Michael Antle, a psychology professor at the University of Calgary, previously told Global News that during wartime in the early 1900s, DST was also used to save energy. By shifting work schedules, employers wouldn’t have to turn on incandescent lights until workers were almost finished with their shifts.
“The idea was one, to give us a little bit more leisure time in the evenings when we have really long days in the summers,” he said.
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Attention, Canada: Don’t forget clocks spring forward one hour when daylight saving time begins March 8.
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