'Blame the United States': B.C. to stick with seasonal time changes until 2020

Premier John Horgan in his office at the B.C. legislature on Friday, Oct. 4, 2019. (CTV Vancouver Island)

B.C. Premier John Horgan says British Columbia won't have permanent daylight saving time until next year.

Horgan spoke with CTV News on Friday, fresh off of trips this week to the Yukon and Washington state, where he spoke with leaders about ending seasonal time changes and moving to a permanent daylight time.

A B.C. government survey this summer saw more than 93 per cent of respondents – almost 225,000 people – indicate their support for a permanent move to daylight time.

"The view of the Yukon territory is that if British Columbia stays on permanent daylight saving time, they will as well," Horgan said.

"So they're waiting on our leadership on that question."

On Thursday, Horgan met with Washington state Gov. Jay Inslee, who supports moving the entire West Coast of North America to a permanent daylight time.

The move, however, would require the approval of the United States Congress, something both Horgan and Inslee don't believe will happen in the current climate of impeachment inquiries against U.S. President Donald Trump.

"Trying to get Congressional approval for something like daylight saving time while they're talking about impeaching the president is probably going to be difficult," Horgan said.

"Governor Inslee said to me, 'Look, I support what you're doing and this is what we want to do as well.' But he couldn’t give me any assurances that Washington state would be able to stop with the changing of clocks this fall."

"Blame the United States, particularly the Congress, which is being gridlocked by Donald Trump," the premier added.

Horgan said the B.C. government will, however, begin to put the wheels in motion to end the seasonal time changes before next fall.

"We'll be introducing legislation this fall to allow us to ensure that next year we don’t fall back," Horgan said. "I expect fall back this year and then when we spring forward next year in 2020, that will be the last time we do it."