Residents of East Kootenay will no longer need to adjust their clocks as the Regional District of East Kootenay (RDEK) board voted 12-3 to make mountain daylight time permanent. This decision aligns the region with Alberta instead of moving to the same time zone as most of British Columbia. The vote comes after months of debate following the province’s announcement that most of B.C. would stop seasonal time changes, leaving mountain time communities to determine their own time observance.

Initially, the RDEK board had voted to switch affected areas to year-round mountain standard time, but this decision was later reversed due to public opposition and requests for further consultation. A regional survey conducted by the region received over 14,000 responses, with 89% of participants expressing a desire to cease biannual clock changes and 66% preferring permanent mountain daylight time.

Board chair Rob Gay highlighted the strong ties between East Kootenay residents and businesses in Alberta, particularly in regions like the Elk Valley and Crowsnest Pass. The board considered various factors such as health, business operations, public safety, and school schedules before arriving at the final decision. The survey also indicated a preference for more daylight later in the day among residents.

Residents in the RDEK can expect a simple adjustment as they will no longer change their clocks when November arrives. The RDEK plans to inform neighboring local governments in Golden and Columbia Shuswap Regional District Electoral Area A about their decision, as these areas still need to determine their own time observance.

While the decision may not please everyone, East Kootenay residents can look forward to a fall season without the task of changing their clocks, focusing instead on activities like raking leaves, switching tires, and preparing for colder weather.