Thoughts and opinions on Daylight Saving Time have produced a significant response from the public, as the B.C. Government said their online survey had 223,273 total responses in four weeks.
A record amount of online surveys completed, the B.C. Government was looking to gather the public’s thoughts on whether British Columbia should abandon Daylight Saving Time, continue to “spring forward” and “fall back” twice a year, or align with the United States’ west coast decision.
“It’s clear that the people of B.C. welcomed the opportunity to provide input on this important issue,” said Premier John Horgan. “Daylight Saving Time is a practice that impacts everyone, and I’m pleased so many people took the time to share their views about the best direction for our province moving forward.”
With 223,273 total responses, the Kootenay region had 12,209 responses to the survey, which was open from June 24, 2019, to July 19, 2019.
Here’s the breakdown on the survey’s response by region and age:
Surveys completed by region (top five):
- Lower Mainland: 98,549
- Vancouver Island and South Coast/Sunshine Coast: 62,386
- Thompson-Okanagan: 33,583
- Kootenays: 12,209
- Cariboo: 7,326
Surveys completed by age group:
- Over 75 years: 4.1%
- 65-75 years: 16.7%
- 40-64 years: 48.8%
- 18-39 years: 29.6%
- Under 18: 0.3%
- No response: 0.5%
Besides the online survey, the B.C. Government also received 13 formal submissions from organizations, industry experts, and individuals about how each time option would impact their jobs, careers, or personal lives.
The B.C. Government is now in the process of compiling a summary report on the Daylight Saving Time engagements and is expected to be released in the coming weeks.