Residents in East Kootenay no longer need to worry about changing their clocks as the Regional District of East Kootenay (RDEK) board has decided to make mountain daylight time permanent by a 12-3 vote. This choice aligns the region with Alberta’s time system rather than following the majority of British Columbia.
The decision comes after a period of debate on which time standard East Kootenay should adopt following the province’s announcement to end seasonal time changes, leaving mountain time communities to determine their time observance independently.
Initially, the RDEK board had voted to switch affected areas to year-round mountain standard time, aligning them with most of B.C. However, this decision was overturned due to public resistance and requests for further input.
After launching a regional survey that garnered over 14,000 responses, it was evident that 89% of participants favored staying on a single time throughout the year, with 66% preferring permanent mountain daylight time. RDEK board chair Rob Gay emphasized that while the survey was influential, other factors were also considered in reaching the final decision.
Many residents and businesses in East Kootenay have strong connections to Alberta, especially in regions like the Elk Valley and Crowsnest Pass. Health, business operations, public safety, and school schedules were taken into account by the board before making the conclusive choice.
Residents expressed a desire for more evening daylight for outdoor activities post-work and school. Despite mixed opinions on the matter, the general sentiment across the region was a fatigue with clock changes, leading to the resolution to cease the practice.
Moving forward, when clocks would traditionally fall back in November, East Kootenay residents will maintain their current time setting. The RDEK will communicate its decision to neighboring local governments in Golden and Columbia Shuswap Regional District Electoral Area A, which are yet to finalize their time observance.
Although the ruling may not satisfy all residents, the board acknowledges the seriousness with which the matter was considered. Come November, the fall routine for East Kootenay residents will exclude clock adjustments, with activities like leaf raking and winter preparation taking precedence instead.