Nov 3 - 5 years later, still changing clocks

Good morning !

How was that extra hour of sleep (or, if you like, an extra hour awake on your Sunday)?

Today we look once again at the status of the much-maligned clock change, which BC plans to get rid of… eventually.

We also round up a staggering amount of success for UVic sports; this weekend the local university plays for national championships in 3 sports and a conference championship in another.

— Cam

Today’s approx. read time: 6 minutes

🌡️ Weather Forecast

Today: 🌦️ 11 / 8

Tomorrow: 🌧️ 13 / 6

Tuesday: ☀️11 / 3

NEWS

Why the clocks are still changing, 5 years after BC decided to stop

It’s now been half a decade since BC’s fall 2019 legislation to end the twice-annual switch. That move stemmed from a BC-wide public consultation in which 93% of the 223,273 survey respondents wanted to end the change. 

As premier, David Eby has, like his predecessor John Horgan, maintained that BC should wait to switch at the same time as the US West Coast states in order to avoid inconvenience in their trade relations. In the original survey, a slight majority of BCers did agree that aligning the switch with our neighbours was important.

Yukon springs ahead, while US efforts have fallen back 

Yukon has already enacted permanent Daylight Saving Time after a survey overwhelmingly supported it, like in BC. In Alberta, however, switching to permanent DST was defeated in a 2021 referendum question. 

Down south, over a third of US states have policies around changing to DST—but those are in limbo because they all depend on the federal government, which has not moved to make the change.

Switching in the other direction

Further south, Mexico made its last clock change two years ago and now remain on Standard Time—or, as then-president AMLO put it, “God's Clock.”

Some border towns were able to keep the changes due to their level of interaction with the US. Mexico did end up with a few unexpectedly chaotic days the first time it didn't spring forward; so many non-Mexican devices and institutions did change over that some digital services weren't working properly and many people ended up on different schedules. 

Researchers reluctant about permanent DST

Mexico's case brings up the other key question: Not only should we have a permanent time, but which one should it be. A group of UBC and SFU researchers argued to the province that Standard Time, not Daylight, should become the norm, citing the mental health and road safety downsides of less morning light. 

Last year Capital Daily covered some of those health concerns that inform advocates’ pitch on which switch BC should ditch—and collected some of you readers’ takes.

Read that story here.

⚠️ Capital Bulletin

Clocks turned back an hour to Standard Time at 2am.

Wind today & tomorrow, especially around Juan de Fuca Strait.

Mid-week to be sunny but cold; rain returns for late-week. 

NEWS

4 UVic teams play for national gold today

UVic field hockey in yet another championship games today

Field hockey competes for a staggering 6th straight Canadian title, with Cowichan-raised superstar Chloe Langkammer (7 regular season goals) leading a balanced team attack. The Vikes (8-1-2) were absolutely dominant in the new round-robin tourney format, outscoring rivals 10-0 across 3 games. They play for gold at 10am on CBC Sports.

Second straight Cinderella run to finals for women's rugby team

UVic has once again battled all the way from the 8th seed to the championship game, with a 17-14 win over #5 Queen's. Justine Blatt-Janmaat was player of the game. Last week Maya Addai, Summer Blackmore, Carissa Norsten, and Emily Findlay were named All-Canadians.

Today at 3pm they face #2 UBC—and local players will be champions no matter the result. UBC features a quartet of the Langford-based national / Olympic team players, fresh off their medal this summer. Charity Williams and Shalaya Valenzuela were recruited to join Piper Logan and Florence Symonds as Thunderbirds.

Watch field hockey and rugby teams play for gold today on CBC Sports, or read about their results in tomorrow's newsletter.

UVic rowers host national championships; women paddle for three-peat
Elk Lake is the scene of the Canadian University Rowing Championships today. The men seek their first gold since 2021, while the women won in 2022 and 2023. They last won 3 straight championships spanning 2010-2012, but then came up dry as Western Ontario and UBC both went on years-long runs.

Watch in person or find links to live results and a stream here.

UVic wins soccer silver, & a spot at nationals

The UBC Thunderbirds were too much for the Vikes yesterday, taking the Canada West women’s championship match 3-0. But UVic (9-3-5) lives to play another day, as its finish earned not only a medal but a berth in the tourney of Canada’s best university teams.

The Vikes went to the western gold medal game for the first time since 2017 thanks to a semifinal win over the Calgary Dinos. After a quick score in the 12th minute, they kept Calgary out of the net in what was keeper Kayley Lidstone's 6th shutout of the season. That secured them a spot in the U SPORTS national tournament, which begins Nov. 7 at Dalhousie. 

It was Tracy David’s 200th win as Vikes head coach. Attacker Ruby Nicholas and defender Sophie Fingarson were recently named Canada West All-Stars.

Men taken down by Cougars’ attack

Despite being ranked #9 nationally, the men's soccer team (9-3-4) fell just short in double-overtime in the western quarterfinal. Opponent Mount Royal was ranked #10 in Canada and also beat the Vikes last year.

Year 3 defender Fin Tugwell was named Canada West's Defensive Player of the Year after helping the Vikes allow a mere 3 goals across 14 games. He, keeper Callum Weir, and attacker Matt Pearse were named All-Stars.

SPONSORED BY BELFRY THEATRE

The Mom's return next month

It started as a lark, six new mothers got together every Saturday morning to write a show about motherhood.

Thirty years on and over two million audience members later, the Moms are back to tackle the most wonderful time of the year. Christmas.

As usual, nothing is sacred as the Moms tell their truth, the hilarious truth and nothing but the embarrassing truth. This show is for anyone who has had a tough time getting in the spirit of the season. The Moms see you.

Mom's the Word: Talkin' Turkey starts December 3. Pay-what-you-want tickets are available for all performances.

⭐️ Capital Picks

💀 The faces of Dia de los Muertos at yesterday’s event in North Saanich hosted by the Van Island Hispanic Network Society. [Colin Smith photos]

🌊🐦 Braving the waterfall: An American Dipper bird right in the middle of Stamp Falls. [VanIsleWildlife]

🎯 Opportunities are appearing! Choose from 50+ programs with Continuing Studies at UVic. Gain new skills and stay current in a competitive job market.*

*Sponsored Listing

🗞️ In Other News

Trio killed in Maple Bay house fire—one while trying to save the others
North Cowichan's fire chief told CHEK that going back into a fire to get loved ones is understandable, but that “you are not going to make it through that.” The upstairs tenants were not home when Monday’s deadly blaze—caught on video by a neighbour—engulfed the Duncan-area two-storey. They have their lives, but lost everything else including their son's ashes; a fundraiser has been started for them. [CHEK].

New energy advisor program for Victoria & Saanich stratas 
The municipalities are now making an advisor available to come by buildings and outline specific ways they can reduce their emissions, align with new regulations, lower costs, and make electric conversions. [City]

Classes finally moved from gym to portable at Oak Bay elementary school
A new portable at Sundance-Bank Elementary has sat empty for months—with students exercising their brains in classes held in the gym—due to permitting red tape.The bureaucracy and inspection have been completed and SD61 said desks and chairs were to be moved in Friday, with students slated to start using the portable tomorrow. [CHEK] 

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🗓️ Things to do

🏒 Victoria Royals host Saskatoon Blades: [3:05pm puck drop]

🎻 Murdoch Mysteries in Concert: Enjoy a behind-the-scenes look at how the music for CBC’s hit TV series Murdoch Mysteries is made at Royal Theatre. 2:30pm. [Info]

🖼 Vibrant, chaotic nature paintings: Last two days for the Sheila Davis show at the Avenue Gallery. [Info]

🔮 Intuitive Arts Festival continues with spiritual and metapsychical events, booths, & workshops. Da Vinci Centre. [Info]

🧶 Adoragore's final day: Last chance to catch this Halloween-themed art show featuring an army of adoptable mutant stuffies, yarn-gore, an interactive plushie-Borg, and new mutant music machines. The Artcade at Fort & Douglas. 2pm-10pm.

👀 In Case You Missed It

Fall colours: Our list of autumnal walking spots around the region.

A deer attacked a dog in Oak Bay and killed it. [Capital Daily newsletter]

2 dogs attacked a woman in Sidney, a witnesses tells CHEK.

Friday news: Helping a Syrian family. CRD tourism passes pre-pandemic levels. Arrest in attack on local singer's house. Teen's death was homicide after all, coroner says. [Nov. 1]

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