Final Report on Bill 203 Alberta Standard Time
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L E G I S L A T I V E A S S E M B L Y O F A L B E R T A Standing Committee on Alberta’s Economic Future Final Report on Bill 203, Alberta Standard Time Act Twenty-Ninth Legislature Third Session September 2017 Standing Committee on Alberta’s Economic Future 3rd Floor 9820 – 107 Street Edmonton AB T5K 1E7 780.415.2878 [email protected] STANDING COMMITTEE ON ALBERTA’S ECONOMIC FUTURE September 2017 To the Honourable Robert Wanner Speaker of the Legislative Assembly of the Province of Alberta I have the honour of submitting, on behalf of the Standing Committee on Alberta’s Economic Future, its final report containing recommendations on Bill 203, Alberta Standard Time Act, for consideration by the Legislative Assembly of Alberta. I would like to thank all Albertans who participated in the review process through written and oral submissions and in the stakeholder meetings. I would also like to recognize the tremendous amount of hard work that the Legislative Assembly Office staff put forward to ensure the completion of this review. Sincerely, [original signed] Graham Sucha, MLA Chair, Standing Committee on Alberta’s Economic Future c. Mr. Robert Reynolds, Q.C. Clerk of the Legislative Assembly Standing Committee on Alberta’s Economic Future September 2017 Final Report on Bill 203, Alberta Standard Time Act Table of Contents Members of the Standing Committee on Alberta’s Economic Future ................................................... 3 1.0 Introduction ..................................................................................................................................... 5 2.0 Order of Reference .......................................................................................................................... 5 3.0 Committee Activities ....................................................................................................................... 5 4.0 Recommendations .......................................................................................................................... 5 Appendix A: Minority Report ..................................................................................................................... 7 Appendix B: Written Submissions from Stakeholders ........................................................................... 9 Appendix C: Written Submissions from Members of the Public ......................................................... 10 Appendix D: Oral Presentations from Stakeholders in Edmonton on September 5, 2017 .............. 172 Appendix E: Oral Presentations from Members of the Public ........................................................... 173 Standing Committee on Alberta’s Economic Future September 2017 Final Report on Bill 203, Alberta Standard Time Act MEMBERS OF THE STANDING COMMITTEE ON ALBERTA’S ECONOMIC FUTURE 29th Legislature, Third Session Graham Sucha, MLA Chair Calgary-Shaw (NDP) Glenn van Dijken, MLA Deputy Chair Barrhead-Morinville-Westlock (UCP) Jonathon Carson, MLA Karen M. McPherson, MLA Edmonton-Meadowlark (NDP) Calgary-Mackay-Nose Hill (NDP) Michael R.D. Connolly, MLA Ronald Orr, MLA† Calgary-Hawkwood (NDP) Lacombe-Ponoka (UCP) Craig Coolahan, MLA Prab Gill, MLA Calgary-Klein (NDP) Calgary-Greenway (UCP)‡ Lorne Dach, MLA Prasad Panda, MLA§ Edmonton-McClung (NDP) Calgary-Foothills (UCP) Wayne Drysdale, MLA* Colin Piquette, MLA Grande Prairie-Wapiti (UCP) Athabasca-Sturgeon-Redwater (NDP) Maria M. Fitzpatrick, MLA David A. Schneider, MLA Lethbridge-East (NDP) Little Bow (UCP) Richard Gotfried, MLA Kim Schreiner, MLA Calgary-Fish Creek (UCP) Red Deer-North (NDP) Wes Taylor, MLA Battle River-Wainwright (UCP) Substitutions Pursuant to Standing Order 56 (2.1-2.4) Prab Gill, MLA** Dr. A. Robert Turner, MLA§§ Calgary-Greenway (UCP) Edmonton-Whitemud (NDP) Deborah Drever, MLA†† Tany Yao, MLA*** Calgary-Bow (NDP) Fort McMurray-Wood Buffalo (UCP) Rod Loyola, MLA‡‡ Annie McKitrick, MLA††† Edmonton-Ellerslie (NDP) Sherwood Park (NDP) * Committee Member to June 1, 2017 ‡‡ Substitute for Kim Schreiner on June 8, 2017 † Committee Member to June 1, 2017 §§ Substitute for Michael Connolly on June 8, 2017; Colin ‡ Committee Member from June 1, 2017 Piquette on August 8, 2017 § Committee Member from June 1, 2017 *** Substitute for David Schneider on June 8, 2017; Richard ** Substitute for Wayne Drysdale on May 10. 2017 Gotfried on September 19, 2017 †† Substitute for Colin Piquette on June 8, 2017 ††† Substitute for Kim Schreiner on August 8, 2017 3 Standing Committee on Alberta’s Economic Future September 2017 Final Report on Bill 203, Alberta Standard Time Act David Shepherd, MLA* Scott J. Cyr, MLA† Edmonton-Centre (NDP) Bonnyville-Cold Lake (UCP) Denise Woollard, MLA‡ Edmonton-Mill Creek (NDP) Members Also in Attendance on August 8, 2017: Scott J. Cyr, MLA Bonnyville-Cold Lake (UCP) Members also in Attendance on September 19, 2017: Trevor A.R. Horne, MLA Spruce Grove-St. Albert (NDP) Dr. Richard Starke, MLA Vermillion-Lloydminster (PC) * Substitute for Craig Coolahan on August 8, 2017 ‡ Substitute for Kim Schreiner on September 5, 2017 † Substitute for Wes Taylor on September 5, 2017 4 Standing Committee on Alberta’s Economic Future September 2017 Final Report on Bill 203, Alberta Standard Time Act 1.0 Introduction Bill 203, Alberta Standard Time Act, was introduced and received first reading on March 14, 2017. On April 3, 2017, the Bill was referred to the Standing Committee on Alberta’s Economic Future for review. 2.0 Order of Reference Excerpt from the Votes and Proceedings of the Legislative Assembly of Alberta, Monday, April 3, 2017: On the motion that the following Bill be now read a Second time: Bill 203 Alberta Standard Time Act — Mr. Dang A debate followed. Hon. Mr. Mason, Government House Leader, moved that the motion be amended by deleting all the words after “that” and substituting the following: Bill 203, Alberta Standard Time Act, be not now read a Second time but that the subject matter of the Bill be referred to the Standing Committee on Alberta’s Economic Future in accordance with Standing Order 74.2, and that the committee report the Bill back to the Assembly on or before October 4, 2017. A debate followed on the amendment. The question being put, the amendment was agreed to. 3.0 Committee Activities As part of the Committee’s review of Bill 203, Committee meetings were held on May 10, June 8, August 8, September 5, and September 19, 2017. The sponsor of Bill 203, Thomas Dang, Member for Edmonton-South West, gave a presentation on the Bill to the Committee on May 10, 2017. Written submissions were solicited from members of the public and from 71 identified stakeholders. The Committee received approximately 13,562 written submissions from members of the public and 15 from stakeholders. Eight stakeholders made oral presentations to the Committee on September 5, 2017. In addition, the Committee established a subcommittee, composed of Mr. Graham Sucha (Chair), Mr. Glenn van Dijken, Mr. Craig Coolahan, Ms Maria Fitzpatrick, and Mr. Richard Gotfried, for the purpose of seeking further public input on the Bill in the cities of Grande Prairie, Edmonton, Calgary, and Lethbridge. At its meetings in Grande Prairie on September 8, Edmonton on September 12, Calgary on September 14, and Lethbridge on September 15, 2017, the subcommittee received oral presentations from 113 individuals. The subcommittee reported back to the Committee with a summary of its findings on September 19, 2017. 4.0 Recommendations Pursuant to Standing Order 74.2(1) When a Bill is referred to a standing or special committee after first reading, the committee may conduct public hearings on the subject matter of the Bill and report its observations, opinions and recommendations with respect to the Bill to the Assembly. The Standing Committee on Alberta’s Economic Future recommends that Bill 203 not proceed. 5 Standing Committee on Alberta’s Economic Future September 2017 Final Report on Bill 203, Alberta Standard Time Act The Committee further recommends: That the Government of Alberta engage other jurisdictions in Canada and the United States to discuss a coordinated approach to eliminating the practice of observing daylight saving time. The Committee further observed: That approximately 75 per cent of the submissions en masse to the committee were in support of abolishing the observance of daylight saving time and identified that it has a negative effect on, but not limited to, their physical and mental well-being, their children, families, productivity at home, at work, at school, and the safety on the roads. 6 Standing Committee on Alberta’s Economic Future September 2017 Final Report on Bill 203, Alberta Standard Time Act Appendix A: Minority Report Minority Report Appendix to the Report of the Standing Committee on Alberta’s Economic Future: Review of Bill 203 – Alberta Standard Time Act Members of the UCP Official Opposition Authors: Glenn van Dijken, MLA Barrhead-Morinville-Westlock; Prab Gill, MLA Calgary-Greenway; Richard Gotfried, MLA Calgary-Fish Creek; Prasad Panda, MLA Calgary-Foothills; David A. Schneider, MLA Little Bow; Wes Taylor, MLA Battle River-Wainwright To offer our collective perspective on the Standing Committee on Alberta’s Economic Future’s Final Report on Bill 203, the Alberta Standard Time Act, the aforementioned authors submit our Minority Report. We agree, based on the data provided, that Bill 203 not proceed. However, we do not agree with the committee observations found on page six of the final report. During