Residents of East Kootenay no longer need to worry about changing their clocks as the Regional District of East Kootenay (RDEK) board has voted 12-3 to make mountain daylight time permanent. This decision aligns the region with Alberta’s time system instead of following the majority of British Columbia. The debate over which time to adopt in East Kootenay has finally been settled after months of discussions following the province’s announcement of ending seasonal time changes for most of B.C.
Initially, the RDEK board had decided to move affected areas to year-round mountain standard time in March, but this decision was later reversed due to public opposition and calls for enhanced consultation. A regional survey was conducted, receiving over 14,000 responses, with 89% of respondents in favor of staying on a single time all year and 66% preferring permanent mountain daylight time.
RDEK board chair, Rob Gay, emphasized that the survey played a significant role in the decision-making process, along with other factors such as residents’ ties to Alberta, health considerations, business operations, and public safety. Many residents expressed the desire for more daylight later in the day, particularly for outdoor activities like sports, fishing, and hiking.
Moving forward, when clocks would typically fall back in November, East Kootenay residents will maintain their current time settings. The RDEK will inform neighboring local governments in Golden and Columbia Shuswap Regional District Electoral Area A about their decision, as these areas still need to determine their time observance. While some residents may not fully agree with the decision, the region is united in ending the practice of changing clocks, making it a thing of the past for East Kootenay residents.