Notice of Motion: Permanent Daylight-Saving Time and the Impacts on Safe Routes to School (Introduced by Councillor Guiry)

NOTICE OF MOTION

Permanent Daylight-Saving Time and the Impacts on Safe Routes to School

Introduced by: Councillor Guiry
Date Introduced: March 16, 2026, Regular Council Meeting

WHEREAS the adoption of permanent, year-round daylight-saving time means that many school age children, including those in the Victoria area who begin their commute around 8:00 a.m., will be travelling to school in darkness from early November until the end of February;

AND WHEREAS many communities have older neighbourhoods with wide roadways which may cause unintended speeding, limited or non-existent sidewalks or pathways, and limited street lighting. Mitigation of these neighbourhood conditions would require significant upgrades to ensure safe travel for children during dark winter mornings;

AND WHEREAS the BC Active Transportation Infrastructure Grant 2025/2026 intake was paused pending a review in the fall of 2026, thus limiting the ability of local governments to make meaningful change and prepare for the 2026/2027 school year.

THEREFORE BE IT RESOLVED THAT Council direct staff to prepare a letter to the Minister of Education and Childcare, the Minister of Transportation and Transit, and the Premier’s Office, with a copy to all local governments in British Columbia, outlining Council’s concerns regarding the impacts of adopting year-round Pacific Daylight Time on children who would be required to walk to school in the dark.

AND THAT the letter from the City of Langford Mayor and Council advocate for:

• the immediate reopening of BC’s Active Transportation Infrastructure Grant Program for safe routes to school projects;
• the establishment of a program ensuring all students have access to visibility enhancing resources such as lights and reflective gear; and
• the expansion of The Society for Children and Youth of BC (SCY)’s Walking School Bus program.

Introduction:

On Sunday March 8th, 2026, the Province of BC adopted permanent Daylight-Saving Time (DST) by putting amendments to the Interpretation Amendment Act into effect. Evolving relationships with the United States have led to the province to no longer feel the need to align with a co-ordinated timing approach with neighbouring U.S. states in the same time zone. This means that the previous time change back to standard time that happened in the fall of each year will no longer occur. While more usable light will be available in the evenings throughout the year, it will mean that sunrises will be later in the winter.

Background:

For this discussion, Langford and Sooke School District 62 (SD62) serve as examples with the understanding that similar patterns may exist in other southern British Columbia communities. To prioritize the safety of the youngest and most vulnerable road users, elementary school students are used as a baseline. However, middle and high school students are also important, as they are more likely to travel independently. Typically, elementary schools in SD62 start between 8:30 a.m. and 8:50 a.m. Working from the earlier start time and the understanding that there is a line up bell 5min before the start of school, an assumption is made that students could leave as early as 8am to start walking or rolling to school.

According to the National Research Council Canada, the first day that the sunrise will start at 8am for the 2026/2027 school year is November 1st, 2026 and the last day will be February 26, 2027. This four-month period coincides with the wettest season, characterized by the highest rainfall. In contrast, during the previous 2024/2025 school year on Standard time, the sunrise occurred as early as 8am from December 16, 2024, to January 15, 2026. Additionally, SD62’s winter break typically spans about 2 weeks around Christmas and New Years Day. While reflective clothing and lights enhance safety, some families face significant financial challenges. Providing resources to families unable to afford such gear would improve safety for all children, regardless of family income.

Like many areas in BC, older neighbourhoods in Langford feature wider streets for combined parking and vehicle traffic, along with reduced street lightning to minimize light pollution and maintain a less urban feel. According to the NACTO Design Guide wide lanes should not be used as they may cause unintended speeding and assume valuable right-of -way at the expense of other modes. These street conditions pose challenges for pedestrians and cyclists, particularly in low visibility conditions such as darkness and rain. Langford has undertaken two projects to enhance safety and improve safe routes to school in collaboration with the province through the BC Active Transportation Infrastructure Grant Program. However, the 2025/2026 intake for this program was paused for a review of the CleanBC Program, and no updates have been provided since the announcement of BC Budget 2026.

On May 12, 2025, the Province of BC announced it was supporting the Walking School Bus Program in partnership with the Society for Children and Youth of BC. The Walking School Bus Program provides

paid leaders and volunteers to walk students to school along a planned route to their school. The program is currently available to students in some schools in Langford, Sooke, Nanaimo, Esquimalt, Saanich, and Central Saanich. While walking and rolling to school are affordable means of transportation, there are also many other benefits. According to the Capital Regional District’s Ready Set Roll initiative, active and sustainable school transportation options can improve health and wellbeing, improve personal & road safety, improve climate & air quality as well as have positive impacts on academic & life skills, student households and the broader community.

Rationale:

The announcement of permanent daylight-saving time has sparked discussions among residents regarding the challenges and benefits of both daylight-saving and standard time. While this motion does not contest the province’s decision, it aims to initiate early dialogue on measures to improve outcomes for Langford and other BC communities. Active Transportation projects require sufficient lead time for preparation, and with provincial grant assistance, municipal funds can be allocated more effectively to maximize impact for the 2026/2027 school year. Early consultation and discussions can identify needs and mitigate impacts, particularly on more vulnerable groups.

Strategic Plan Initiatives:

• 4c Improve and expand active transportation infrastructure
• 6d Support the efforts of community organizations to expand services to youth, seniors, and other underrepresented and marginalized groups

Collaborative Advocacy: Accelerate the implementation of transit service and active transportation infrastructure

Submitted by: Councillor Kimberley Guiry

References:

• https://www2.gov.bc.ca/gov/content/governments/celebrating-british-columbia/daylight-saving-time
• https://nrc.canada.ca/en/research-development/products-services/software-applications/sun-calculator/
• https://nacto.org/publication/urban-street-design-guide/street-design-elements/lane-width/
• https://scyofbc.org/walking-school-bus/
• https://www.crd.ca/media/file/benefits-active-and-sustainable-school-transportation