Crowsnest Pass residents did not turn their clocks back Sunday, and they will no longer have to move them forward each spring.
Alberta officially moved to permanent daylight time on Nov. 1, ending the province’s twice-yearly clock changes. The new year-round time is known as Alberta Time, abbreviated ABT, and is six hours behind Coordinated Universal Time.
For residents of the Crowsnest Pass, the change carries an important cross-border benefit. Fernie, Sparwood, Elkford and the rest of the Regional District of East Kootenay also remained on Mountain Daylight Time.
That means the Pass and neighbouring Elk Valley communities will continue to share the same time throughout the year.
The RDEK was initially left out of British Columbia’s move to a new permanent Pacific Time because southeastern B.C. had historically followed Alberta’s Mountain Time changes.
The regional district later surveyed residents about whether it should align with the rest of B.C. or remain aligned with Alberta. More than 14,000 responses were received, with 89 per cent supporting an end to seasonal clock changes.
According to the RDEK survey results, 66 per cent preferred permanent Mountain Daylight Time. The regional board voted in August to adopt that option.
The decision means people travelling between Crowsnest Pass, Fernie and Sparwood will not need to account for a time difference when attending work, medical appointments, sporting events or community activities.
Most of British Columbia is now on permanent Pacific Time, which is one hour behind Alberta and the East Kootenay.
Travellers heading south will also need to watch the clock. Montana returned to Mountain Standard Time on Nov. 1 and will be one hour behind Crowsnest Pass during the winter. Montana is expected to realign with Alberta when daylight time resumes in the United States in March.
Alberta Time is the same clock setting previously called Mountain Daylight Time. Under the old system, Alberta used Mountain Daylight Time from March until November and Mountain Standard Time during the winter.
The change does not create additional daylight. It shifts when daylight appears on the clock. Winter sunrises and sunsets in Crowsnest Pass will now occur one hour later than they would have under Mountain Standard Time, resulting in darker mornings and more late-afternoon light.
Service Alberta and Red Tape Reduction Minister Dale Nally said the government expects the change to simplify daily routines and provide more usable evening light.
“Albertans are tired of changing their clocks twice a year,” Nally said.
The government also argued that permanent standard time could have produced summer sunrises as early as 4 a.m. in parts of Alberta.
The move comes five years after Albertans narrowly rejected the same general proposal.
In a binding provincial referendum held in October 2021, 50.2 per cent voted against adopting year-round daylight time, while 49.8 per cent voted in favour. The difference was 5,092 votes, according to Elections Alberta.
The Alberta legislature later passed the Official Time Act in May 2026, establishing Alberta Time as the province’s permanent time beginning Nov. 1.
The medical community has generally supported ending the twice-yearly clock changes, although some sleep experts prefer permanent standard time rather than permanent daylight time.
The American Academy of Sleep Medicine has said permanent standard time more closely follows the body’s circadian rhythm. It argues that permanent daylight time produces darker winter mornings and can make it more difficult for people to wake for work or school.
Alberta’s government has emphasized the benefits of more evening light and alignment with neighbouring jurisdictions.
Most smartphones, tablets and computers were expected to update automatically, provided they had current software and automatic time-zone settings enabled.
Residents are encouraged to check devices, vehicles, appliances, security systems and other equipment that may have automatically moved back one hour. Older or unsupported devices may require a manual adjustment.
Calendar programs may also need attention. Microsoft has advised Alberta Outlook users to select “Mountain Time (Alberta),” listed as UTC-06:00, rather than the former “Mountain Time (US & Canada)” setting.
Existing appointments and recurring meetings scheduled after Nov. 1 should be checked because some calendar entries may appear one hour earlier or later if they were created using the former time zone.
The province said it will monitor the transition and gather public feedback after Alberta has completed its first full year on permanent Alberta Time.