American Daylight Time - Canadian History

Canadian Time Zone History

America/St_Johns (NL)
-3:30:52 -    LMT 1884
-3:30:52 StJ N%sT 1935 Mar 30
-3:30 StJohns N%sT 1942 May 11
-3:30 Canada N%sT 1946
-3:30 StJohns N%sT 2011 Nov

America/Goose_Bay (NL)
-4:01:40 -    LMT 1884 # Happy Valley
-3:30:52 - NST 1935 Mar 30
-3:30 - NST 1936
-3:30 StJohns N%sT 1942 May 11
-3:30 Canada N%sT 1946
-3:30 StJohns N%sT 1966 Mar 15 2:00

America/Glace_Bay (No DST 54-72)
-3:59:48 -    LMT 1902 Jun 15
-4:00 Canada A%sT 1953
-4:00 Halifax A%sT 1954
-4:00 - AST 1972
-4:00 Halifax A%sT 1974
-4:00 Canada A%sT

America/Halifax (NS, PEI)
-4:14:24 -    LMT 1902 Jun 15
-4:00 Halifax A%sT 1942 Feb 9 2:00s
-4:00 Canada A%sT 1946
-4:00 Halifax A%sT 1974
-4:00 Canada A%sT

America/Moncton (NB)
-4:19:08 -    LMT 1883 Dec 9
-5:00 - EST 1902 Jun 15
-4:00 Canada A%sT 1933
-4:00 Moncton A%sT 1942
-4:00 Canada A%sT 1946
-4:00 Moncton A%sT 1973
-4:00 Canada A%sT 1993
-4:00 Moncton A%sT 2007
-4:00 Canada A%sT

America/Montreal (QC)
# => America/Toronto

America/Toronto (ON, QC)
-5:17:32 -    LMT 1895
-5:00 Canada E%sT 1919
-5:00 Toronto E%sT 1942 Feb 9 2:00s
-5:00 Canada E%sT 1946
-5:00 Toronto E%sT 1974
-5:00 Canada E%sT

America/Winnipeg (MB, west ON)
-6:28:36 -    LMT 1887 Jul 16
-6:00 Winn    C%sT 2006
-6:00 Canada C%sT 2026 Nov 1 2:00

America/Iqaluit (NT>NU)
   1942 Aug
-5:00 NT_YK E%sT 1999 Oct 31 2:00

America/Resolute (NT>NU)
   1947 Aug 31
-6:00 NT_YK C%sT 2000 Oct 29 2:00

America/Rankin_Inlet (NT>NU)
   1957
-6:00 NT_YK C%sT 2000 Oct 29 2:00

America/Cambridge_Bay (NT>NU)
   1920
-7:00 NT_YK M%sT 1999 Oct 31 2:00

See below for additional cities

Original Canadian Time Zones generally based on "mean solar time".
Exact boundries not available. Time shown is based on reference cities within each zone.

Creston BC (marked -7 above) follows America/Phoenix (UTC-07 no DST)
Southampton Island NU follows America/Panama (UTC-05 no DST)
Western Labrador follows America/Halifax (UTC-04 w/DST)
Eastern Quebec follows America/Puerto_Rico (UTC-04 no DST)
1867 British North America Act establishes Dominion of Canada allowing Canada to manage internal affairs
1870-1898 Expansion of Canada coast to coast and north to the Arctic Ocean
1931 Statute of Westminster established legislative independence relinquishing British veto power over legislation
1949 Newfoundland (and Labrador) become Canada's 10th provence

Net of changes prior to 1960
Exact boundries not available. Time shown is based on reference cities within each zone.

1960

Saskatchewan moves from MST/MDT (UTC-07 / UTC-06) to CST (UTC-06)

America/Regina (SK)
-6:58:36 - LMT 1905 Sep
-7:00 Regina M%sT 1960 Apr lastSun 2:00
-6:00 - CST
# PERMANENT DST -06

America/Swift_Current (west SK)
-7:11:20 - LMT 1905 Sep
-7:00 Canada M%sT 1946 Apr lastSun 2:00
-7:00 Regina M%sT 1950
-7:00 Swift M%sT 1972 Apr lastSun 2:00
# Split from America/Regina in 1950
# Nap estimated

1966

Whitehorse Yukon moves from YST/YDT (UTC-09 / UTC-08) to PST (UTC-08)
Labrador observes AST/ADT (UTC-04 / UTC-03) instead of Newfoundland Time

America/Whitehorse (YT)
-9:00:12 - LMT 1900 Aug 20
-9:00 NT_YK Y%sT 1965
-9:00 Yukon Y%sT 1966 Feb 27 0:00
-8:00 - PST 1980
# PERMANENT DST -08

America/Dawson (west YT)
-9:17:40 - LMT 1900 Aug 20
-9:00 NT_YK Y%sT 1965
-9:00 Yukon Y%sT 1973 Oct 28 0:00
# Split from America/Whitehorse in 1966
# Nap estimated

America/St_Johns
-3:30 StJohns N%sT 2011 Nov
-3:30 Canada N%sT

America/Goose_Bay
-3:30 StJohns N%sT 1966 Mar 15 2:00
-4:00 StJohns A%sT 2011 Nov
-4:00 Canada A%sT

1969

Alaska adopts DST

America/Adak
-11:00 - NST 1967 Apr
-11:00 - BST 1969
-11:00 US B%sT 1983 Oct 30 2:00

America/Nome
-11:00 - NST 1967 Apr
-11:00 - BST 1969
-11:00 US B%sT 1983 Oct 30 2:00

America/Anchorage
-10:00 - AHST 1969
-10:00 US AH%sT 1983 Oct 30 2:00

America/Yakutat
-9:00 - YST 1969
-9:00 US Y%sT 1983 Nov 30

America/Sitka
-8:00 - PST 1969
-8:00 US P%sT 1983 Oct 30 2:00

America/Juneau
-8:00 - PST 1969
-8:00 US P%sT 1980 Apr 27 2:00

America/Metlakata
-8:00 - PST 1969
-8:00 US P%sT 1983 Oct 30 2:00

1972

Dawson Creek BC moves from PST/PDT (UTC-08 / UTC-07) to MST (UTC-07)

America/Dawson_Creek
-8:00:56 - LMT 1884
-8:00 Canada P%sT 1947
-8:00 Vanc P%sT 1972 Aug 30 2:00
-7:00 - MST
# Split from America/Vancouver in 1972
# PERMANENT DST -07

America/Regina (SK)
-6:00 - CST
# PERMANENT DST -06 (1960)

America/Swift_Current
-7:00 Swift M%sT 1972 Apr lastSun 2:00
-6:00 - CST
# PERMANENT DST -06

1973

Western Yukon moves from YST/YDT (UTC-09 / UTC-08) to PST (UTC-08)

America/Dawson (west YT)
-9:00 Yukon Y%sT 1973 Oct 28 0:00
-8:00 - PST 1980
# PERMANENT DST -08

America/Whitehorse (YT)
-8:00 - PST 1980
# PERMANENT DST -08 (1966)

1979

Western Northwest Territories moves from PST/PDT to MST/MDT

America/Inuvik (NT)
1953 # Founded
-8:00 NT_YK P%sT 1979 Apr lastSun 2:00
-7:00 NT_YK M%sT 1980
-7:00 Canada M%sT 2026 Aug 21

America/Yellowknife (NT)
1935 # Founded?
-7:00 NT_YK M%sT 1980
-7:00 Canada M%sT 2026 Aug 21
# => America/Edmonton

1980

Yukon moves from PST (UTC-08) to PST/PDT (UTC-08 / UTC-07)
1982 Canada Act allows Canada to amend constitution without approval of British Parliament
1983 - Alaska combines time zones

America/Dawson
-8:00 - PST 1980
-8:00 Canada P%sT 2020 Nov 1

America/Whitehorse
-8:00 - PST 1980
-8:00 Canada P%sT 2020 Nov 1

America/Adak
-11:00 US B%sT 1983 Oct 30 2:00
-10:00 US AH%sT 1983 Nov 30
-10:00 US H%sT

America/Nome
-11:00 US B%sT 1983 Oct 30 2:00
America/Anchorage
-10:00 US AH%sT 1983 Oct 30 2:00
America/Yakutat
-9:00 US Y%sT 1983 Nov 30
America/Sitka
-8:00 US P%sT 1983 Oct 30 2:00
America/Juneau
-8:00 US P%sT 1980 Apr 27 2:00
-9:00 US Y%sT 1980 Oct 26 2:00
-8:00 US P%sT 1983 Oct 30 2:00

# Alaska Standard Time (AKST / AKDT)
-9:00 US Y%sT 1983 Nov 30
-9:00 US AK%sT

1999

Nunavut separated from Northwest Territories and attempted a unified time zone

October 31, 1999 all of Nunavut moved to CST/CDT (UTC-06 / UTC-05). October 29, 2000 Nunavut moved to EST (UTC-05) with DST only in the Eastern areas. The Cambridge Bay area changed to CST (UTC-06) one week later. The previous time zones were restored April 1, 2001. Southampton Island remained EST (UTC-05) through all transitions.
-7:00 NT_YK M%sT 1999 Oct 31 2:00 -6:00 Canada C%sT 2000 Oct 29 2:00 -5:00 - EST 2000 Nov 5 0:00 -6:00 - CST 2001 Apr 1 3:00 -7:00 Canada M%sT	-6:00 NT_YK C%sT 2000 Oct 29 2:00 -5:00 - EST 2001 Apr 1 3:00 -6:00 Canada C%sT	-5:00 NT_YK E%sT 1999 Oct 31 2:00 -6:00 Canada C%sT 2000 Oct 29 2:00 -5:00 Canada E%sT

2006

Resolute observes one winter of DST.

America/Resolute
1947 Aug 31
-6:00 NT_YK C%sT 2000 Oct 29 2:00
-5:00 - EST 2001 Apr 1 3:00
-6:00 Canada C%sT 2006 Oct 29 2:00
-5:00 - EST 2007 Mar 11 3:00
-6:00 Canada C%sT
# Split from America/Rankin_Inlet

2015

Fort Nelson BC moves from PST/PDT (UTC-08 / UTC-07) to MST (UTC-07)

America/Fort_Nelson
-8:10:47 -   LMT 1884
-8:00 Vanc   P%sT 1946
-8:00 - PST 1947
-8:00 Vanc   P%sT 1987
-8:00 Canada P%sT 2015 Mar 8 2:00
-7:00 - MST
# Split from America/Vancouver in 2015
# PERMANENT DST -07

America/Dawson_Creek
-7:00 - MST
# Split from America/Vancouver in 1972
# PERMANENT DST -07

2020

Yukon moves from PST/PDT (UTC-08 / UTC-07) to MST (UTC-07)

America/Dawson
-8:00 Canada P%sT 2020 Nov 1
-7:00 - MST
# PERMANENT DST -07

America/Whitehorse
-8:00 Canada P%sT 2020 Nov 1
-7:00 - MST
# PERMANENT DST -07

Yukon - Proclaimed permanent DST (UTC-07) called "Yukon Standard Time" effective November 1st, 2020.
(Public Engagement: What We Heard - Regulation: O.I.C. 2020/125 [Sep 25, 2020])
** IANA tzdata 2020a - April 23rd / tzdata 2020b - October 6th

2026

British Columbia moves from PST/PDT (UTC-08 / UTC-07) to MST (UTC-07)
Alberta, Regional District of East Kootenay BC and Northwest Territories
move from MST/MDT (UTC-07 / UTC-06) to CST (UTC-06)
Golden BC moves from MST/MDT (UTC-07 / UTC-06) to MST (UTC-07)

America/Vancouver (BC)
-8:12:28 -   LMT 1884
-8:00 Vanc   P%sT 1987
-8:00 Canada P%sT 2026 Mar 9
-8:00 Canada PDT 2026 Nov 1 2:00
-7:00 - MST
# PERMANENT DST -07

America/Edmonton (AB)
-7:33:52 -   LMT 1906 Sep
-7:00 Edm    M%sT 1987
-7:00 Canada M%sT 2026 Jun 18
-7:00 Canada MDT 2026 Nov 1 2:00
-6:00 - CST
# PERMANENT DST -06

America/Inuvik (NT)
-7:00 Canada M%sT 2026 Aug 21
-7:00 Canada MDT 2026 Nov 1 2:00
-6:00 - CST
# PERMANENT DST -06

America/Yellowknife (NT)
-7:00 Canada M%sT 2026 Aug 21
-7:00 Canada MDT 2026 Nov 1 2:00
-6:00 - CST
# PERMANENT DST -06
# => America/Edmonton

America/Winnipeg (MB)
-6:00 Canada C%sT 2026 Nov 1 2:00
-5:00 - EST
# PERMANENT DST -05

America/Brit_Columbia/Golden ??

America/Kuujjuaq ??

1 - British Columbia (Vancouver)
2 - Alberta (Calgary / Edmonton)
3 - Regional District of East Kootenay
5 - Golden BC (CSRD A)

4 - Northwest Territories (Yellowknife)
? - Cambridge Bay (Nunavut)

6 - Manitoba (Winnipeg)

? - Nunavik (Quebec)

British Columbia - Proclaimed permanent DST (UTC-07) called "Pacific Time" effective March 9th, 2026.
(Legislation: Bill 40 - Interpretation Amendment Act, 2019 - Assent: November 28, 2019 - Proclaimation: B.C. Regulation 20/2026)
** IANA tzdata 2026b - April 22nd

Alberta - Legislation passed and received royal assent May 14th, 2026, for permanent DST (UTC-06) effective June 18, 2026.
(Legislation: Bill 31 - Red Tape Reduction Statutes Amendment Act, 2026 [PDF pg.17] - Proclaimation: 204/2026 effective; 206/2026 "Alberta Time")
** IANA tzdata 2026c - July 8th

RDEK BC - Will follow "Mountain Daylight Time" permanent DST (UTC-06) effective August 14, 2026.
Announced as UTC-07 March 13th then withdrawn pending regional survey. RDEK historically followed Alberta time (MST/MDT).
(Regional Survey [Open July 3rd-August 3rd]; Results: 89% no DST / 66% "MDT" (UTC-06) - UTC-06 confirmed at RDEK Board Meeting.)

Northwest Territories - Regulation for permanent DST (UTC-06) called "Northwest Territories Time" effective August 21, 2026.
Legislation passed and received royal assent March 31, 2021, for a public engagement to select a time zone.
(Legislation: Bill 13 - An Act to Amend the Interpretation Act and What We Heard Report - Regulation: R-090-2026)
** IANA tzdata 2026d - September 11th

Manitoba - Announced permanent DST (UTC-05) called "Manitoba Time (MBT)" effective November 1st, 2026.
(Legislation: The Official Time Amendment Act, SM 2023 - Assent: May 30, 2023 - Proclaimation: Pending)
(News Release: Manitobans invited to share views on seasonal time change [Public engagement May 20th-Aug 31st, 2026] - 92% No DST. 58% EDT / 34% EST)
(Press Release: Manitoba Will Move to Permanent Daylight Saving Time)
The spring legistative session ended June 1st. The next sitting is September 29th-November 5th, then November 17th-December 3rd.

Golden BC and Columbia Shuswap Regional District (CSRD) Electoral District A - Permanent DST (UTC-06) effective Sept 22, 2026
CSRD A surrounds Golden BC and is adjacent to RDEK on the border of BC with Alberta and historically followed Alberta time (MST/MDT).
(Regional Survey [Coordinated with RDEK.] Results: 55% of Golden + CSRD A support "MDT" (UTC-06).)
*  Golden chose Permanent "MST" (UTC-07) September 1st (4-2 vote). Press Release
*  Golden reconsidered and chose Permanent "MDT" (aka CST or UTC-06) September 22nd (unanimous vote). Press Release
*  CSRD board met September 10th and delayed a decision until October 15th.

Nunavik Quebec - As of November 2025, Makivvik (the legal representative for Inuit in Nunavik) says the region will stay on permanent daylight saving time (UTC-04) starting in 2026. (Source: CBC News)
As part of the Quebec provence the provincial government officially controls the time zone in Nunavit, however permanent DST may become locally observed. IANA time zone database adminstrators are awaiting further information before publishing a change to the data. (Source: tzdata mailing list)

2027?

Cambridge Bay (Nunavut) moves from MST/MDT (UTC-07 / UTC-06) to CST (UTC-06)

America/Cambridge_Bay
-7:00 Canada M%sT 2026 Nov 1 2:00 ??
-7:00 Canada M%sT 2027 Mar 14 2:00 ??
-6:00 - CST
# PERMANENT DST -06

The area in yellow is proposed to move to match NWT, Alberta and Saskatchewan.

Cambridge Bay NU - Action is needed to allow Cambridge Bay to follow permanent DST (UTC-06).

Alberta and Northwest Territories announced their intent to change time zones on April 20th, 2026. Following those announcements, Nunavut MLA Fred Pederson expressed the desire for Cambridge Bay to follow Alberta and Northwest Territories and observe Permanent MDT (UTC-06).
Without a change Cambridge Bay will be the only area in Canada to observe MST with DST. Cambridge Bay will be on "Yukon Time" for four months in the winter (an hour behind NWT) and "Northwest Territories Time" for eight months in the summer.

As of May 28, 2026, Nunavut is exploring the possibility of ending seasonal time changes across all of Nunavut. (Source: Nunatsiaq News)
The spring legistative session ended June 11th. The next sitting is October 22nd-November 5th.

Nunavut Territories

Cambridge Bay observes MST (-7) with DST (-6), Rankin Inlet on Hudson Bay and Resolute on the Artic Ocean observe CST (-6) with DST (-5) and the capital city of Iqaluit and eastern Nunavut observe EST (-5) with DST (-4). Southampton Island observes EST with no DST (-5).

The provence south of Rankin Inlet is Manitoba. As noted below, Manitoba has legislation awaiting proclaimation that would move the provence into Permanent CDT (UTC-05). The area south of eastern Nunavut is Nunavik in Quebec. As noted above, Nunavik's Inuit government has announced Permanent EDT (UTC-04). While Quebec's permission would be required to officially change the time zone for Nunavik, daylight saving time may be locally observed.

One option for all of Nunavut would be to follow permanent DST in all areas starting in March of 2027. Another option would be to allow Cambridge Bay to move immediately (either November 2026 or March 2027) and coordinate the other two zones with the provences to the south.

Future Changes
Ontario - The "Time Amendment Act, 2020" provides for permanent DST (UTC-05 west of 90 W longitude, UTC-04 east of 90 W longitude). Effective when coordinated with Quebec and New York State. Current law would allow the Lieutenant Governor to adjust time zones by regulation.
(Legislation: Time Act (with Amendment) - Ontario e-Laws and Bill 214 - Legislative Assembly of Ontario)

Quebec - The "Legal Time Act" has not been amended to change to permanent DST.
There is no legislation pending in New Brunswick, Nova Scotia, Prince Edward Island or Newfoundland and Labrador.

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