As clocks spring forward for daylight saving time this Sunday, fire safety experts recommend using the change as a prompt to test home smoke and carbon monoxide detectors.
Updated Fire Safety Advice
Jackson Holmes, fire prevention officer with Waterloo Fire Rescue, notes that many modern smoke alarms are hardwired or equipped with long-lasting 10-year lithium-ion batteries, making routine battery changes less necessary. “Historically, fire departments highlighted daylight saving time as a reminder to replace smoke alarm batteries,” Holmes stated. “With today’s technology, that advice is less relevant.”
Instead, homeowners should verify that all smoke alarms and carbon monoxide detectors function properly. Holmes emphasizes installing a carbon monoxide alarm on every level of residences with gas-burning appliances, such as furnaces, water heaters, or stoves.
Recent updates to the Ontario Fire Code, effective at the start of 2026, mandate working carbon monoxide alarms on each floor of such homes.
Debate Over Ending Clock Changes
This year’s time shift coincides with British Columbia Premier David Eby’s announcement that the province will adopt permanent daylight time after one final adjustment. “We are done waiting. British Columbia is going to change our clocks just one more time—and then never again,” Eby declared during a press conference.
The decision has sparked renewed discussions on whether other regions, like Ontario, should eliminate biannual clock changes.
Expert Weighs In on Time Shifts
Patricia Lakin-Thomas, a chronobiologist and biology professor at York University, calls clock switching “outdated.” However, she advocates for permanent standard time over daylight time. “The problem is that we need the morning light,” Lakin-Thomas explained. “Our biological clock in the brain resets with bright morning sunlight, which runs a bit slow and requires that light to align with the day-night cycle.”
Springing forward disrupts sleep and rhythms, even by one hour. For those facing the change, Lakin-Thomas advises getting morning sunlight, maintaining regular exercise, meals, and activities to reset internal clocks quickly.
