See more Toronto Sun on Google — save as a Preferred Source

On Sunday, November 1, many Canadians will turn their clocks back again. Others will leave them alone. British Columbia, Alberta and Manitoba have moved to end seasonal clock changes. Saskatchewan has followed a different path: most of the province has observed Central Standard Time year-round since 1966.

CHARLEBOIS: When the clocks change, food habits follow Back to video

Canada’s increasingly fragmented approach raises two questions. Should seasonal clock changes end? And which time should become permanent?

Ending the ritual is an appealing proposition. Choosing the right permanent time requires more thought, including about how Canadians buy, prepare and consume food.

Changing the clock does not create daylight. Standard time places sunrise and sunset an hour earlier on the clock than daylight saving time. The choice is about where daylight falls relative to work, school and household schedules.

For restaurants, cafés and grocers, those schedules matter. Breakfast before work, lunch between meetings and dinner after picking up the children represent distinct commercial opportunities. Moving daylight around those routines can influence when customers arrive — and potentially whether they arrive at all.

Research directly examining hospitality businesses does exist. A study published in Tourism and Hospitality Research, surveyed 41 small hospitality and tourism operators around Perth, Western........

© Edmonton Sun