Albertans will not turn their clocks back an hour on Sunday, November 1, 2026. Instead, the province will begin observing permanent Alberta Time, ending the twice-yearly clock changes that have been part of life in the province for decades.
The Government of Alberta confirmed the transition in an October 30 announcement. Alberta Time, abbreviated ABT, will use UTC−6 throughout the year, matching the province's existing summer clock time. The normal switch to Mountain Standard Time at 2 a.m. Sunday will no longer take place.
The change means clocks will not move forward next spring, either. The province will retain a single year-round time standard, rather than switching between winter and summer time.
What Albertans should do before Sunday
The province says most smartphones, computers, tablets and other connected devices are expected to recognize the new time zone once the appropriate operating-system and service-provider updates have been installed. Residents should check for software updates and confirm automatic date, time and time-zone settings are enabled.
Some older or unsupported devices may mistakenly turn back an hour, or display the wrong local time. If that happens, update the device first and then consult the manufacturer or service provider for instructions on changing its time-zone settings manually.
The change can also affect future calendar entries, reminders, shifts and scheduled digital services. The University of Alberta has warned that some Google Calendar events scheduled after November 1 shifted by an hour and advised users to check unresolved appointments. Businesses and anyone coordinating with other provinces should confirm the time zone used in their scheduling systems.
How Alberta Time compares with neighbouring provinces
At UTC−6, Alberta will share the same clock time year-round as Saskatchewan, which has long stayed on Central Standard Time. Most of British Columbia now follows UTC−7 year-round, making Alberta one hour ahead. Manitoba has also adopted a permanent time zone, UTC−5, placing it one hour ahead of Alberta.
The province says eliminating seasonal clock changes will make scheduling more predictable. Keeping the former summer time through winter also means morning and evening daylight will appear about an hour later on the clock than they would under Mountain Standard Time. It does not create additional daylight.
Why the province changed its policy
In an October 30 statement, Service Alberta and Red Tape Reduction Minister Dale Nally said people were tired of adjusting their clocks twice a year and pointed to more usable evening sunshine as a benefit of permanent daylight time.
The move follows years of debate. Alberta's earlier 2021 referendum narrowly rejected ending twice-yearly clock changes, with 50.2% of valid ballots cast against the proposal, according to the province's public engagement record. A separate 2019 government consultation had found stronger support among its respondents for permanent daylight time.
The government says it will monitor the transition and collect feedback after the first full year. For now, its advice is to keep devices updated, verify that scheduled events still show the right times and leave correctly configured clocks alone on Sunday.
Original sources
Government of Alberta, October 30, 2026: It's Alberta time.
Government of Alberta: Alberta's new time system (ABT), device guidance and UTC offset.
Government of Alberta: earlier public engagement and 2021 referendum result.
Alberta Electric System Operator: implementation at 2 a.m. November 1 and scheduling-system updates.
University of Alberta: calendar-event adjustments associated with the Alberta Time change.