Province announces new 'Alberta Time' system set to kick in this fall
Alberta has officially introduced a new time system that will keep the province on the same clock year-round.
Called “Alberta Time,” the new system follows the Province’s decision to stop switching between Mountain Daylight Time (MDT) and Mountain Standard Time (MST) throughout the year.
Alberta Time will officially take effect in November 2026, when the province will no longer move back to MST.
Under the new system, Alberta will remain on what was previously known as MDT year-round, which is equivalent to UTC-6:00.
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The Province says there are some positives to switching to the new time system, such as reducing frustrations and disruptions associated with the practice of semi-annual clock changes, improving predictability for families, businesses, schools, and services, aligning Alberta with neighbouring jurisdictions that have moved away from seasonal clock changes, and reducing confusion for those who live, work, or do business across borders.
However, while the Province highlighted several benefits of the change, it says the transition to Alberta Time will continue to be reviewed once Albertans have experienced the new system.
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“Alberta will monitor the transition to permanent Alberta Time closely and will gather feedback after the first full year of operating on permanent MDT to ensure the change is functioning as intended,” the website states.
Speaking at a government press conference in April, Premier Danielle Smith was asked about the plan to switch to permanent daylight time and why there was no referendum on the decision, which could have been done before the next time change in November.
“I’m sure we’ll get a gauge on whether or not people think that we’ve made a mistake. And if that’s the case, then we have time if we need to add an additional referendum question to the ballot in October 2027. But I think we need to live it first and then see what the reaction is.”
How do you feel about the province moving to Alberta Time? Let us know in the comments below.
With files from Laine Mitchell