Maybe we’re jumping the gun, and maybe it’s because New York is in the middle of a blizzard and we’re enjoying some (icy) sunshine this week that’s warming our cheeks. But we’re planning our spring outings in advance. In the past, we would have been called witches for making predictions far too early—before the snow had melted and the birds had started singing.
But we don’t sing about spring in the streets of Montreal without having had some hints…
First, sunset is now AFTER 5:30 p. m. It’s almost too much light! Then Fred the groundhog from Gaspésie predicted an early spring, and we can’t dismiss this old-fashioned oracle of the weather.
And on March 8, 2026, Montreal will switch to daylight saving time!
Daylight saving time, Montreal, and a good sunbath
Daylight saving time, like standard time, has a simple purpose: to align our lives (subway, work, cocktails, exhibitions, sleep) with the hours of sunlight.We’ve all noticed that not only is the sun rising earlier and earlier, but it’s also setting later and later.
With daylight saving time,we’ll be getting up at sunrise—and in the evening, the sun will set when we get home from work.
On March 8, 2026, at 2 a.m., we’ll set the clock forward one hour. Thesun will technically set “later”—at 6:50 p.m.—but yes, we’ll technically lose an hour of sleep. It is what it is!
The evening light will do us a world of good. The light of sunset is one of the most important and beneficial to feel on your skin.It’s not the strongest, but it’s the most beneficial, and even a short 10-minute walk (between the office, the subway, and bed) is enough to refresh your mind.
Red light (which we desperately use in masks to prevent our skin from falling apart in Montreal’s dry winter) has a temperature between 2700 and 3000 Kelvin. This light temperature, which is that of sunsets, is extremely beneficial.
Practical Information
In terms of UTC (Coordinated Universal Time), which allows us to count and compare times around the world, Quebec is UTC-5:00 during winter time (standard time) and UTC-4:00 during summer time (daylight saving time). To check any time, we can also use our smartphones, but at least we can read the data with a more scientific eye.
Everywhere in the media, we’re advised not to change our routine too much and to let our bodies adapt. And then to hang out outside longer, to enjoy the extra sunshine we’re going to get…
Happy (almost) spring!