Fraser Valley – This Sunday at 2AM, clocks go ahead one hour for the annual plunge into Daylight Saving Time. We lose an hour of sleep but start to see and feel the effects of longer days.
There is yet another idea on the table to scrap the idea of DST, and the current BC NDP government has the notion on the stove. Whether or not it becomes law (similar to Saskatchewan, Arizona, Hawaii, Puerto Rico and pending legislation, Florida) is not known.
The original concept was to save energy but studies have debunked that.
We are asking YOU to weigh in. Dumping the time change is one thing, BUT will it be detrimental to doing business with others in different time zones. In particular, would be be disruptive for business in North America , let alone the Fraser Valley, for being out of sync with other parts of the continent who have long since been comfortable with DST.
Feel free to comment below.
A few responses that FVN has received:
Allan Asaph, Executive Director, Abbotsford Chamber of Commerce – This issue comes up every year as the time change is about to occur. There are numerous arguments on both side as to the benefits of keeping or eliminating daylight savings time. From a business perspective, as we are so closely tied to the US in economic, transportation, communications and information systems it would create too many costly and complex logistical problems for Canada to act alone. Any proposed change would require an integrated implementation on both side of the border to ensure that we preserve continuity.
Anita Huberman, CEO, Surrey Board of Trade – The Surrey Board of Trade doesn’t have an official position on Daylight Savings Time. However, one of the supposed advantages of the policy is that the extra hour of sunlight is supposed to encourage consumers to stay out and spend money, giving a boost to small businesses and the economy in general. If this is the case, then the impact is minimal. There should be a review of the necessity of Daylight Savings Time in today‘s economic and social environment.
John Les, Former Mayor and MLA of Chilliwack – Debate on changing DST is a waste of time. Much more pressing issues that we should be dealing with. I always look forward to the longer evenings.
