Time Zones Currently Being Used in Canada
| Offset | Time Zone Abbreviation & Name | Example City | Current Time | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| UTC -8 | PST | Pacific Standard Time | Vancouver | Wed, 5:28:59 pm |
| UTC -7 | MST | Mountain Standard Time | Edmonton | Wed, 6:28:59 pm |
| UTC -6 | CST | Central Standard Time | Winnipeg | Wed, 7:28:59 pm |
| UTC -5 | EST | Eastern Standard Time | Toronto | Wed, 8:28:59 pm |
| UTC -4 | AST | Atlantic Standard Time | Halifax | Wed, 9:28:59 pm |
| UTC -3:30 | NST | Newfoundland Standard Time | St. John's | Wed, 9:58:59 pm |
How Many Time Zones Are There in Canada?
Canada has 6 standard time zones with 6 corresponding Daylight Saving Time (DST) time zones.
Generalized Time Zones in Canada
| Time Zone Abbreviation & Name | Offset | Current Time | |
|---|---|---|---|
| PT | Pacific Time | UTC -8:00 / -7:00 | Wed, 5:28:59 pm |
| MT | Mountain Time | UTC -7:00 / -6:00 | Wed, 6:28:59 pm |
| CT | Central Time | UTC -6:00 / -5:00 | Wed, 7:28:59 pm |
| ET | Eastern Time | UTC -5:00 / -4:00 | Wed, 8:28:59 pm |
| AT | Atlantic Time | UTC -4:00 / -3:00 | Wed, 9:28:59 pm |
Like in the US, Canada's time zones are often referred to by their generic name, without making a difference between standard time and Daylight Saving Time designations. For example, Central Time (CT) refers to Central Standard Time (CST) or Central Daylight Time (CDT), depending on which is currently in use.
Note: Local time in these time zones changes when Daylight Saving Time begins and ends.
Time Zones Not Currently Being Observed in Canada
| Offset | Time Zone Abbreviation & Name | Commences | |
|---|---|---|---|
| UTC -7 | PDT | Pacific Daylight Time | Mar 9, 2025 |
| UTC -6 | MDT | Mountain Daylight Time | Mar 9, 2025 |
| UTC -5 | CDT | Central Daylight Time | Mar 9, 2025 |
| UTC -4 | EDT | Eastern Daylight Time | Mar 9, 2025 |
| UTC -3 | ADT | Atlantic Daylight Time | Mar 9, 2025 |
| UTC -2:30 | NDT | Newfoundland Daylight Time | Mar 9, 2025 |
The above time zones are used during other parts of the year. They will become active again after the next clock change as Daylight Saving Time begins or ends.
Not all areas in Canada observe DST. They include Yukon, most of Saskatchewan, some locations in Québec east of 63° westerly longitude (e.g. Blanc-Sablon), Southampton Island, and some areas in British Columbia.
Saskatchewan Time Zone
Most of Saskatchewan observes Central Standard Time (CST) all year round, with no Daylight Saving Time (DST). However, some locations on the province borders use different time zones, including Lloydminster, Creighton, and Denare Beach.
Newfoundland's Time Zone
Newfoundland, in Canada's most easterly province Newfoundland and Labrador, follows its own time zone. The standard time is Newfoundland Standard Time (NST), which is UTC-3:30. Newfoundland Daylight Time (NDT), the island's Daylight Saving Time, is UTC-2:30.
The reason for the unique 30-minute time zone is twofold: In terms of solar mean time, Newfoundland is located almost exactly 3.5 hours from Coordinated Universal Time (UTC) which is based on the prime meridian (0° longitude). The second reason is that Newfoundland was a separate dominion when time zones were established in Canada.
Time Zone News
- 10/7/2024 – DST ends in Canada
- 10/7/2024 – DST Ends in the US
- 9/10/2024 – Hate Clock Changes?
- 2/12/2024 – Daylight Saving 2024 Starts in Canada
- 2/12/2024 – DST 2024 Starts in the USA
More Information
- Time Zone Converter
- Meeting Planner
- Event Time Announcer/Fixed Time
- Time Zone Abbreviations
- Time Zone News
- Daylight Saving Time
Time Zone Map
