Ditching daylight saving time would cost Alberta millions

There is a enraged debate going on in Alberta  to decided on the changing of their clocks. The government has estimated that a referendum on a bill about ending the twice-yearly time change would cost millions.

NDP legislature member Graham Sucha, chair of the Standing Committee on Alberta’s Economic Future, said a referendum paired with a provincial election would cost between $2 million and $6 million. Holding a time vote on its own would cost nearly $22 million.  The government has received about 13,000 written submissions, with 75 per cent of people wanting to scrap the time change.

Edmonton senior Orest Windjack told a public consultation hearing  that he’s in favour of continuing to turn clocks back one hour in the fall and move them ahead one hour in the spring. But he suggested a vote may be the best way to go. Earlier this year, NDP backbencher Thomas Dang spearheaded the private member’s bill that would put Alberta on central standard time year round, like Saskatchewan. It would be called Alberta Standard Time. Alberta would be in sync with its neighbour to the east all year long and stay one hour ahead of British Columbia in the summer. But it would end up two hours ahead of B.C. in the winter. Daylight time has been a long-running controversy in Alberta since it was brought in by plebiscite in 1971. Critics say it’s outdated and annoying, interrupts sleep and causes confusion.

The committee has also met with businesses  that have expressed that  ditching the time change would lead to economic losses, said NDP committee member Richard Gotfried. He suggested spending a few million dollars on a referendum might be worth it.

Public hearings continued on  Thursday in Calgary and will wrap up on Friday in Lethbridge. The committee is to submit its report to the government by October 4.