Manitoba’s move to permanent daylight saving time is causing some confusion, as some are scrambling to make sure the clocks used for scheduling, booking and reservations don’t automatically fall back. Tony Siwicki, the owner of the Siler Heights Restaurant & Lounge, isn’t sure what to expect this Sunday. “Every day we’re figuring out a new thing that could change,” he said. Siwicki said the restaurant’s scheduling, reservations, and point-of-sale systems all run through third-party providers. He’s trying to ensure they all got the memo that Manitoba’s clocks won’t be falling back this year. “They’re all programmed to change on certain days, so making sure that they’re not programmed to change when we’re not – that’s the battle, to make sure we’re still good.” The province announced last month it would stick with permanent daylight time, just six weeks before clocks were set to change. David Gerhard, a computer science professor at the University of Manitoba, said these changes typically require a bit more time. “Usually, they want a lot of lead time to update that database because it’s got to percolate through all of the computer system,” he said. “We gave them six weeks, which is not a ton.” Despite the tight turnaround, Gerhard said anything connected to the internet – like your phone or computer – should adjust to the new time zone automatically. That’s thanks to an entity called the Internet Assigned Numbers Authority (IANA) which maintains a time zone database. Gerhard said that database essentially keeps the entire internet ticking. “Anybody that is connected to the internet that needs to know what time it is uses this (time zone) database to look that stuff up – Apple, Google, Microsoft,” he said. IANA has already issued an update recognizing Manitoba’s permanent daylight saving time zone. “Some computer systems may or may not have that update properly implemented, and so we’ll have to sort of keep an eye on things,” Gerhard said, noting older systems or those not directly connected to the internet could still have some issues. Still, he’s not expecting to see Manitoba’s own little version of Y2K come Nov. 1. “I mean, it’s unlikely that planes are going to fall out of the sky. This was what was predicted with Y2K,” he said. The Winnipeg Airports Authority, meanwhile, said it has been preparing for Sunday’s change – or lack of change. “Our team has been updating internal systems ahead of the time change, so we don’t expect any disruptions,” a WAA spokesperson said in a statement to CTV News. The WAA did note adjustments to flight itineraries are made by the air carriers. So, it encourages passengers with questions about flights on or after Nov. 1 to contact their airlines directly. Other organizations are still trying to catch up. Environment and Climate Change Canada has shared a message on its website. “Due to recent time zone changes in some provinces and territories, time information may not appear accurately on our website,” the message reads, adding the content of alerts and forecasts remains accurate. “We are in the process of updating our systems to reflect these changes and appreciate your patience.” For Siwicki, he’s doing all he can to make sure Sunday comes and goes without a hitch. “I don’t think it’s going to be that drastic, but we just got to make sure we’re ready,” he said. “We don’t want any surprises.” Though, at the end of the day, Siwicki acknowledges only time will tell.
