Clocks fall back one hour at 2 a.m. on Sunday, Nov. 1, 2026, in Ontario, Quebec, the Atlantic provinces and most of Nunavut, but British Columbia, Alberta, Manitoba, the Northwest Territories, Saskatchewan and Yukon will not change their clocks this fall.
Updated Oct. 8, 2026
It is the first year that four jurisdictions skip the November change at once after adopting year-round daylight time: B.C., Alberta, Manitoba and the N.W.T. Saskatchewan and Yukon have not changed clocks for years, so the practical result is that most of Western and Northern Canada stays put while the East turns clocks back.
Province-by-province table
| Province or territory | Clocks go back Nov. 1? | Time after Nov. 1 |
|---|---|---|
| British Columbia | No | Pacific time (PCT), UTC-7 year-round, with exceptions in the east |
| Alberta | No | Alberta Time (ABT), UTC-6 year-round |
| Saskatchewan | No | UTC-6 year-round in most of the province |
| Manitoba | No | Daylight time kept year-round, UTC-5 |
| Ontario | Yes | Eastern standard time, UTC-5 |
| Quebec | Yes | Eastern standard time, UTC-5 (Lower North Shore is an exception) |
| New Brunswick, Nova Scotia, P.E.I., Newfoundland and Labrador | Yes | Atlantic and Newfoundland standard time |
| Yukon | No | UTC-7 year-round |
| Northwest Territories | No | Northwest Territories Time, UTC-6 year-round |
| Nunavut | Yes in most of the territory | Varies by region |
B.C., Alberta, Manitoba and the N.W.T.
B.C. moved its clocks forward on March 8, 2026, and the provincial government says that was the last change. Its new zone is called Pacific time, abbreviated PCT, at UTC-7. The B.C. government said southeastern communities such as Cranbrook, Fernie and Invermere stay aligned with Alberta at UTC-6, while the northeast, including Dawson Creek and Fort St. John, stays on UTC-7. The B.C. page lists Golden as making a final change on Nov. 1, but CBC News has reported the town reversed course to match Alberta, so residents there should confirm locally.
Alberta passed the Official Time Act in June, according to CBC News. The province says it will remain on Alberta Time, equal to UTC-6, and will gather feedback after the first full year. Premier Danielle Smith has said a vote could follow in 2027, CBC reported.
Manitoba announced on Sept. 17 that it will stay on daylight time permanently. CBC reported that a May 2026 survey found 92 per cent of respondents wanted an end to seasonal changes, with 58 per cent preferring permanent daylight time and 34 per cent preferring permanent standard time. That keeps Manitoba on the same time as Toronto in winter.
The Northwest Territories government said on Sept. 23 that no time change will occur on Nov. 1. Regulations creating Northwest Territories Time, at UTC-6, took effect Aug. 21.
Ontario, Quebec and Atlantic Canada
Ontario’s clocks go back at 2 a.m. on Nov. 1, to 1 a.m., according to BlogTO. A 2020 Ontario bill to end the change was tied to Quebec and New York acting together, and we found no confirmation that it has taken effect. We also found no announcement from Quebec or the Atlantic provinces ending the change, so they follow the usual first-Sunday-in-November rule.
In Nunavut, CBC News has reported that the Kitikmeot and Kivalliq regions aim to join neighbours in not turning back clocks. Residents should confirm with the territorial government before Nov. 1.
What it means for calls and schedules
Because the offsets above differ from past years, time gaps shift. From Nov. 1, Calgary is one hour behind Toronto, not two, and Vancouver is two hours behind Toronto. Alberta is one hour ahead of B.C. year-round. Winnipeg and Toronto share the same time through the winter. These gaps are worked out from the official offsets, not quoted from a government table.
Most phones and computers should update on their own, but Alberta businesses have reported that some booking and calendar software has lagged, CBC reported. Equipment that is not connected, such as some medical imaging or utility systems, may need manual updates.
Related reading: a medical journal analysis backs standard time as clocks stay put, and Alberta’s plan to make daylight saving time permanent.
If you find reporting like this useful, consider supporting Canada News Media, an independent Canadian newsroom with no corporate parent.
Sources: B.C. government, permanent daylight saving time; Alberta government, Alberta’s new time system; Government of the Northwest Territories news release; CBC News on Manitoba; CBC News on Alberta software issues; CBC News on Golden, B.C.; CBC News on Nunavut; BlogTO on Ontario; Wikipedia, Daylight saving time in Canada (Saskatchewan, Yukon, Quebec).
