Southeast B.C. weighs time zone choice before November decision

Residents in southeast British Columbia have until Monday to respond to a regional survey on whether the area should follow B.C. time, stay aligned with Alberta, or continue changing clocks twice a year. The question comes as both provinces move toward permanent time. B.C. has adopted permanent Pacific Daylight Time, while Alberta plans to remain on permanent Mountain Daylight Time starting in November. In the East Kootenay region, the Regional District of East Kootenay board first voted in March to move communities that had followed Alberta's time changes to permanent Mountain Standard Time, which would have aligned the whole region with B.C. The board later reversed that decision after public pushback. Some residents want the region to stay in step with Alberta, saying many people work, travel, shop, and access services to the east. Others support matching the rest of B.C. and avoiding a split within the province. The nonbinding survey is being run by the RDEK, the Town of Golden, and Columbia Shuswap Regional District Electoral Area A. Officials say the results will help guide a final decision expected before clocks would normally change in November.