Bill C-248 Time Change Act
C-248 An Act Respecting the Holding of a Pan-Canadian Conference on Time Change
Short Title: Time Change Act
Bill Type: Private Member’s Bill
Bill Sponsor: Marie-France Lalonde (Orléans)
Status: Introduced — October 6, 2025. This Bill hasn't passed yet.
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WHO GAINS POWER
- The Minister designated by the Governor in Council gains authority to convene a national conference on time change
- Provincial governments, Indigenous governing bodies, municipalities, health scientists and sector representatives gain a formal seat at the table
- The public gains access to a published report with findings and recommendations
WHO LOSES POWER
- No existing power is removed by this Bill
- Provinces retain full jurisdiction over time change — this Bill creates a conference, not a mandate
- The Bill cannot force any province to change its time policy
WHO GAINS MONEY
- No direct financial beneficiaries named in the Bill
- Conference costs fall to the federal government — not costed in the Bill
WHO LOSES MONEY
- Federal taxpayers fund the conference and report with no budget specified
- No cost estimate provided
THE CATCH
- ⚠️ This Bill creates a meeting, not a policy — the conference produces a report. The report produces recommendations. Nothing in the Bill requires anyone to act on those recommendations
- ⚠️ Provinces control time change, not Ottawa — the federal government cannot impose a uniform time policy. This Bill cannot change that constitutional reality
- ⚠️ No Minister is named — the Governor in Council designates the Minister by order. The Bill passes with no named responsible Minister
- ⚠️ No budget provided — a pan-Canadian conference with provincial, Indigenous and sector representatives has real costs. None are disclosed or estimated
- ⚠️ Report is the end of the road — the Bill requires a report published online within six months of the conference. After that, the Act has no further force. There is no follow-up mechanism, no implementation timeline, no accountability for inaction
