Updated October 13, 2026. Photo: Kenora waterfront, July 2012, by P199 / Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 3.0. Image resized for display.
Toronto still turns its clocks back on November 1, 2026. Ontario’s planned move to permanent daylight time applies to part of the northwest, not the Greater Toronto Area.
The change would produce an unusual winter arrangement: Toronto and Kenora would show the same clock time, even though they would follow different seasonal time rules. When Toronto moves ahead again in spring, Kenora would once more be an hour behind.
Indigenous Affairs Minister Greg Rickford told The Canadian Press on October 13 that Ontario intends to change regulations under the Time Act for regions west of the 90th meridian, starting November 1. The aim is to keep that area aligned with Manitoba.
Status: This article describes the announced plan. The report identifies an intended start date; it does not establish that the new regulation is already in force.
What happens to the clocks on November 1?
| Location | What happens? | Winter clock setting |
|---|---|---|
| Toronto and the GTA | Clocks go back one hour at 2 a.m. | Eastern standard time, UTC−5 |
| Northwestern Ontario areas covered by the plan | No fall-back if the announced change takes effect | Year-round UTC−5, equivalent to Central daylight time |
| Thunder Bay | Continues the Eastern time seasonal schedule | Eastern standard time, UTC−5 |
| Manitoba | No fall-back, under its announced permanent daylight-time policy | Year-round UTC−5 |
Toronto’s 2026 clock-change schedule still lists Sunday, November 1. At 2 a.m., the clock returns to 1 a.m. The same seasonal change applies across Peel, York, Durham and Halton.
Which parts of northwestern Ontario are affected?
The announcement concerns the Central-time portion of Ontario west of 90° west longitude. Kenora is a useful example for GTA readers who travel to Lake of the Woods or work with businesses near the Manitoba border. It should not be read as a change for every community described geographically as “northwestern Ontario.”
Thunder Bay is on the Eastern-time side of the province. Its seasonal schedule remains aligned with Toronto’s. For a specific destination near a time-zone boundary, check the municipality’s notice and the time shown on your booking rather than relying on a broad regional label.
Why Manitoba’s decision matters
Manitoba announced on September 17 that it would remain on daylight saving time permanently and would not put clocks back on November 1. Keeping northwestern Ontario on its previous seasonal schedule would create a winter time difference across that provincial border.
Matching Manitoba avoids that seasonal mismatch for appointments, deliveries and other activity across the border. Rickford told The Canadian Press that municipalities, First Nations and businesses strongly supported the change. The practical question is which neighbouring schedules the region should follow throughout the year.
Toronto and Kenora: what time should you book a call?
The following examples show the result of keeping Kenora at UTC−5 while Toronto continues to switch between UTC−5 in winter and UTC−4 during daylight saving time. They are calculated comparisons based on the announced plan, not a separate government timetable.
| Period | Toronto | Kenora |
|---|---|---|
| Before Toronto’s November 1, 2026 fall-back | 10 a.m. | 9 a.m. |
| After the fall-back, during Toronto’s standard-time months | 10 a.m. | 10 a.m. |
| After Toronto resumes daylight saving time in spring | 10 a.m. | 9 a.m. |
For a GTA business, the consequence is easy to miss: a recurring call fixed at 9 a.m. Kenora time would move from 10 a.m. to 9 a.m. on a Toronto calendar after the fall change. A meeting fixed to Toronto time would shift for the Kenora participant instead.
The same issue can arise when arranging a property inspection, a contractor visit or a cottage handover from the GTA. Put the date, city and local time in the confirmation, then check that both parties’ calendars display the intended appointment.
Why Toronto still changes its clocks despite the 2020 law
Ontario’s Time Amendment Act, 2020 received royal assent on November 30, 2020. It provides for year-round time equivalent to daylight saving time, but its commencement clause requires a proclamation. Passing the bill did not itself stop clock changes.
The Time Act still lists those 2020 changes as not in force. It also gives the provincial government authority to vary the existing arrangements by regulation, which is the route described in the northwest announcement.
Ontario has linked a wider move to coordination with Quebec and New York. That is a policy position, not an express requirement naming those jurisdictions in the 2020 Act. Toronto residents should continue to follow the published seasonal schedule unless a further change is formally announced.
Does permanent daylight time mean more daylight?
No. Changing a clock does not change the number of hours between sunrise and sunset. Compared with putting clocks back, remaining on daylight time puts both sunrise and sunset one hour later on the clock during winter.
That means later evening light by the clock, but also later winter sunrises. Ending the twice-yearly adjustment and choosing between permanent standard time and permanent daylight time are two separate decisions.
What GTA residents should do now
- Keep November 1 on your calendar. Toronto’s fall-back remains scheduled for 2 a.m.
- Confirm northern appointments by city. Write “9 a.m. Kenora time” or “9 a.m. Toronto time” rather than an ambiguous “9 a.m.”
- Review recurring meetings after the change. Check the displayed time with the other participant, especially for appointments already booked.
- Follow local notices for travel. The announced northwest change does not mean the entire province is abandoning seasonal clock changes.
For Toronto, the immediate answer remains straightforward: the clocks go back this November. The northwest plan changes how the GTA coordinates with that region during winter.