Alberta Time Zone

What is the time zone of Alberta?

The Alberta province is in the Mountain Time zone. All places including the capital of Edmonton have the same time, there are no exceptions. Alberta is observing daylight savings so there are two different clocks depending on the time of the year.

  • Mountain Standard Time (MST):– 7:00 UTC (behind)
  • Mountain Daylight Time (MDT):– 6:00 UTC (behind)
canada alberta time zone map
canada time zone map 1
Click to enlarge

Travel to neighboring provinces and countries

If you travel outside Alberta you might change time zones. But it really depends where and when you cross the border.

To British Columbia (BC):

  • Mid-March to October
  • You will enter the Pacific Time zone, which is -1 hour (behind)

Exception is the south west border where you remain in the same time zone, for example travelling from Banff NP to Kamloops or Vernon. However, be aware that you will still enter the Pacific time zone when travelling a little bit further into BC. This area covers the following BC districts:

  1. Columbia-Shuswap regional district (east of Selkirk mountains)
  2. Regional district of East Kootenay
  3. Regional district of Central Kootenay (including Riondel, except Creston and Crawford Bay which are Pacific Daylight Time)
  • November to mid-March

Same as above but with the addition of two BC districts in the north west

  • Northern Rockies Regional municipality
  • Peace River Regional District (including Dawson Creek but except Fort Ware)

To Saskatchewan

  • Mid-March to October: You will enter the Pacific Time zone, which is +1 hour (ahead)
  • November to mid-March: Same as above but with the exception of the Lloydminster and surrounding area’s which are in the same Mountain Time.

To Northwest Territories:

  • Same time year round

To U.S. State Montana:

  • Same time year round

Alberta Daylight Savings Time (DST)

It starts on the second Sunday in March and ends on the first Sunday in November. In March the clock is moved forward from 02.00 am to 03.00 am (so you will lose an hour of sleep during the night). While in November it’s reversed as the clock is moved backward from 03.00 am to 02.00 am and you will gain an extra hour of sleep. One way of remembering the movement sequence is that clocks “spring forward and fall back”.

The total period of daylight savings lasts for 34 weeks which is about 65% of the year.

Other Canadian Provinces and Territories

You can check out information and maps of other Canadian Provinces and Territories by clicking on the below links.

Pacific Time Mountain Time Central Time Eastern Time Atlantic Time Newfoundland Time
British Columbia Alberta Manitoba Nunavut New Brunswick Newfoundland and Labrador
British Columbia Nunavut Ontario Newfoundland and Labrador
Northwest Territories Ontario Quebec Nova Scotia
Nunavut Saskatchewan Prince Edward Island
Saskatchewan Quebec
Yukon *
* No daylight savings