IMPORTANT: Time Zone Change
BC Time Zone Change - What You Need to Know
Overview
On Sunday, November 1, 2026, British Columbia moves to permanent, year-round daylight saving time, now called Pacific Time (PCT, UTC-07:00). Clocks will not “fall back” this year.
Most computers are still set to (UTC-08:00) Pacific Time (US & Canada), which expects clocks to fall back on November 1. Because of this, meetings and appointments on or after November 1 may show up one hour off, depending on which device or app was used to create or view them.
Microsoft has added a new Windows time zone, (UTC-07:00) Pacific Time (British Columbia), released in October together with updates to Outlook and Microsoft Teams. Apple has also updated macOS and iOS for the change. Apple devices identify the BC time zone by city, so the name in Settings may look the same, but it now uses UTC-07:00.
SD64 IT is updating district-managed Windows and Mac computers and the default Outlook settings. However, existing meetings must be updated by the person who organized them. There is no safe way for IT to change everyone’s meetings automatically.
Who is affected
- All SD64 users who access and use district email and calendars (Microsoft 365 / Outlook) or a computer or phone set to Pacific Time.
- Most affected: anyone who organizes meetings, books rooms or resources, or manages another person’s calendar, such as school administrative assistants and delegates.
- Mac users: Outlook for Mac does not yet have a Microsoft fix, so meetings you already booked cannot be moved to the new time zone from the Mac app. Use Outlook on the web for booking and updating meetings until Microsoft releases an update.
- Exceptions: BC communities on Mountain Time, such as the East Kootenays, and anyone living in Washington, Oregon or California are not on BC’s new Pacific time. If you regularly meet with people in those areas, see the tips on meetings outside BC below.
Key dates
| Date | What happens |
|---|---|
| Now | The Windows update that adds the new BC time zone is being installed on SD64-managed Windows computers. Restart if prompted. If your time zone still shows UTC-08:00 afterwards, change it to (UTC-07:00) Pacific Time (British Columbia) or reach out. |
| By Friday, Oct 23 | SD64 IT sets the default Outlook calendar time zone (Outlook on the web / new Outlook) to (UTC-07:00) Pacific Time (British Columbia) for accounts still on the old Pacific time zone. |
| Friday, Oct 23 | Start updating your meetings. Check your settings first, then update meetings you organized that happen on or after November 1. |
| Oct 23–Oct 31 | Review your meetings and room or resource bookings. |
| Sunday, Nov 1 | The change takes effect. Clocks do not fall back. Double-check meeting times during the first weeks of November. |
What SD64 IT is doing
- District-managed Windows computers: Installing Microsoft’s October 2026 Windows update, which includes the new BC time zone. Restart when prompted, then confirm your time zone.
- District-managed Macs: Prompting computers that have not restarted recently to restart so they pick up Apple’s updated time zone data.
- Outlook on the web / new Outlook: Changing the default calendar time zone for SD64 accounts still on the old Pacific time zone before October 23. We are not changing your meeting hours time zone; see Known issues.
- Testing: Checking how Outlook, Teams, Mac, iOS, Android and room booking behave, and collaborating with other BC school districts.
What you need to do
Step 1 — Now: install updates and restart
- District-managed Windows computers signed in with an .org email: The update installs automatically. Restart if prompted.
- District-managed Macs: Restart when prompted, especially if it has been a while.
- Personal or unmanaged devices: Install the latest Windows, macOS or Linux updates and restart. Windows needs the October 2026 update or later.
- Unsure: If you are unsure whether your device is managed, check for updates and try to install them.
Step 2 — From Friday, October 23: check your time zone settings
- Windows: Go to Settings > Time & language > Date & time. The time zone should be (UTC-07:00) Pacific Time (British Columbia). If not, select it.
- Outlook on the web / new Outlook: Go to Settings > Calendar > View > Time zones. “Display my calendar in time zone” should be (UTC-07:00) Pacific Time (British Columbia).
- Classic Outlook for Windows: Uses your Windows time zone, so once Windows is set correctly, there is nothing else to change.
- macOS: The new time zone data applies after you update the operating system and restart.
- iPhone, iPad and Android: Make sure your phone or tablet is fully updated and using the new time zone.
Step 3 — From Friday, October 23: update the meetings you organized
For every meeting you organized that falls on or after November 1, including recurring series: open the meeting or entire series, open the time zone option, choose (UTC-07:00) Pacific Time (British Columbia), and send the update.
- Attendees get the update automatically. Only update meetings you organized. If you were invited, the organizer handles it.
- Recurring series: Changing a series’ time zone can undo changes or cancellations to individual occurrences. Review the series afterward, or end it on October 31 and start a new series on November 1.
- Classic Outlook: Install the Windows update first; the BC time zone will not appear in the meeting’s time zone list until then.
- Mac and mobile users: Make these changes in Outlook on the web, not in Outlook for Mac, Apple Calendar or phone apps.
Step 4 — November 1 onward: double-check
Confirm start times for important meetings, especially those with people outside BC. If something looks off, check with the organizer. If your computer clock is wrong after November 1, restart it. If the problem continues, contact the SD64 IT Help Desk.
What not to do
- Avoid updating meetings before Friday, October 23. If your computer has not received the update, changes may not stick and meetings could display incorrectly after November 1.
- Do not click “Yes, update” when Outlook on the web offers to change your meeting hours time zone. A known Microsoft issue then shows your calendar as unavailable to everyone.
- Do not move or edit meetings someone else organized. Ask the organizer instead.
- Do not shift meeting start times by an hour to compensate. Change the meeting’s time zone instead.
- Do not update meetings from Outlook for Mac, Apple Calendar or mobile apps. Use Outlook on the web.
- Do not choose “(UTC-07:00) Yukon” or another time zone as a workaround unless SD64 IT tells you to.
Known issues
| Issue | What you may see | What to do |
|---|---|---|
| Meeting hours (free/busy) | If you update your calendar time zone and also accept the prompt to update meeting hours, you may appear unavailable all the time. | Do not click “Yes, update.” If you already did, contact the Help Desk. Microsoft is aware. |
| Time zone list order | The BC time zone may appear above your current selection, not in numerical order. | Scroll up to find (UTC-07:00) Pacific Time (British Columbia). |
| Outlook for Mac, Apple Mail/Calendar and iOS | These may not offer the new BC time zone yet. Meetings on or after November 1 may appear one hour off. | Create and update meetings in Outlook on the web. Restart your Mac when prompted. |
| Mobile apps | Meetings on or after November 1 may appear shifted. | Check and change meeting times in Outlook on the web. |
| Room and resource bookings | After you update a meeting, the room may decline because the new time overlaps another booking. | Check the room’s response. If declined, rebook or contact the Help Desk. |
| Other calendars and systems | Other scheduling or booking tools, including MyEdBC, school apps and third-party tools, and personal calendars such as Google Calendar may behave differently. | System owners are responsible for confirming how their tools handle the change. Check times carefully. |
Frequently Asked Questions
Why can’t SD64 IT just fix all my meetings?
Every updated meeting has to be re-sent to all attendees. Doing that automatically across the district could create floods of duplicate or incorrect updates with no reliable way to undo them. Organizers are best placed to update their own meetings safely.
Do I need to update meetings I was invited to?
No. Only the organizer can update a meeting. Your calendar will update when you receive or accept the organizer’s new invitation.
My Google or personal calendar looks fine. Why is Outlook different?
Each platform uses its own time zone data and updates on its own schedule. In Microsoft 365, the new BC time zone has to be selected both in your settings and on each meeting.
Will my phone’s clock be right?
Most phones update automatically through regular system updates. Install the latest updates and restart your phone.
What about meetings with people outside BC?
These are the most likely to show the wrong time. Confirm the time with attendees, and consider adding the BC time to the title, for example, “10:00 a.m. PCT.”
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