As Alberta's provincial government reconsiders the biannual time change following British Columbia's move to permanent daylight time, a prominent Calgary researcher is advocating for a different approach. Dr. Michael Antle, a professor of psychology and neuroscience at the University of Calgary, asserts that adopting permanent standard time year-round represents the optimal choice for human health and well-being.
The Provincial Time Change Landscape
With British Columbia Premier David Eby announcing that residents will move clocks forward this weekend but not back in November, and Saskatchewan already maintaining permanent standard time, Alberta finds itself positioned between two provinces that have abandoned the traditional time change. Premier Danielle Smith acknowledged this development in a recent statement, noting that both western neighbors have eliminated clock adjustments and raising the question of whether Alberta should follow suit to establish consistency across the region.
"Our government will take these recent developments under consideration and evaluate whether a similar change would be in the best interest of Albertans," Smith declared. This reconsideration comes despite a 2019 referendum in which 50.2 percent of Albertans voted to continue changing clocks twice yearly rather than switching to permanent daylight time.
The Scientific Case for Standard Time
Dr. Antle, an expert on circadian rhythms and the biological clock, presents a compelling scientific argument for permanent standard time. He explains that standard time—observed during winter months from November to March—most closely aligns with the sun reaching its highest point at noon. In contrast, daylight time during summer months shifts this solar peak to approximately 1 p.m., resulting in later sunrises and sunsets.
"We have a little structure in our brain that keeps track of time—keeps track of daylight in our environment—and organizes all the rhythms in our body," Antle elaborated. "The big one is sleep-wake, and that's the one we're going to mess with this weekend when we change our clocks. But everything else that we do, all the hormones in your body, have a circadian rhythm. There's a clock in all of our organs, so in our heart, our liver, our digestive tract."
Physiological Alignment with Natural Cycles
The professor emphasizes that because human biological systems naturally synchronize with solar patterns, standard time provides superior physiological alignment. He notes that while many people no longer work traditional nine-to-five schedules, societal structures—including school hours and standard business operations—remain organized around this framework. Permanent standard time would better harmonize our internal clocks with these established daily routines.
Antle's research underscores how disrupting circadian rhythms through time changes can negatively impact various bodily functions beyond sleep patterns. The biannual adjustment affects hormonal regulation, metabolic processes, and organ function coordination—all of which operate on precise biological timetables synchronized with environmental light cues.
Broader Implications for Public Health
The debate extends beyond mere convenience to encompass significant public health considerations. Research consistently demonstrates that abrupt time changes correlate with increased risks of heart attacks, strokes, workplace accidents, and mood disturbances during adjustment periods. By eliminating these biannual disruptions through adoption of permanent standard time, Alberta could potentially mitigate these health risks while maintaining alignment with natural light patterns.
As western provinces increasingly move away from traditional time changes, Alberta's decision will influence regional coordination and potentially set precedents for other jurisdictions considering similar reforms. The discussion now centers on whether to prioritize consistency with neighboring provinces or follow the scientific evidence favoring permanent standard time for optimal human health and functioning.
