From 42fb2dfdfbed9393253a8b89f8a58109de38f338 Mon Sep 17 00:00:00 2001 From: Paul Eggert Date: Mon, 4 May 2026 21:57:17 -0700 Subject: [PATCH 1/2] PacT, not MST, for America/Vancouver abbreviation * NEWS: Mention this. * northamerica (America/Vancouver): Use PacT instead of MST as the time zone abbreviation starting 2026-11-01. --- NEWS | 16 ++++++++++++++++ northamerica | 23 ++++++----------------- 2 files changed, 22 insertions(+), 17 deletions(-) diff --git a/NEWS b/NEWS index fb1ced71..538bb1fd 100644 --- a/NEWS +++ b/NEWS @@ -1,5 +1,21 @@ News for the tz database +Unreleased, experimental changes + + Briefly: + Use “PacT” for British Columbia time starting 2026-11-01. + + Changes to past and future time zone abbreviations + + British Columbia is considering using “PacT” to abbreviate its + legal time starting 2026-03-09. This experimental patch implements + this suggestion. However, in keeping with 2026b’s temporary hack + for CLDR v48.2 (2026-03-17), this experimental patch changes the + abbreviation starting with 2026-11-01 timestamps. Once CLDR is + fixed and we remove 2026b’s temporary hack, the “PacT” + abbreviation can also start on 2026-03-09. + + Release 2026b - 2026-04-22 23:06:43 -0700 Briefly: diff --git a/northamerica b/northamerica index 3e8641e1..853786f1 100644 --- a/northamerica +++ b/northamerica @@ -1962,13 +1962,13 @@ Zone America/Edmonton -7:33:52 - LMT 1906 Sep # on March 8 will be the last time change, ending twice-yearly clock changes.” # https://news.gov.bc.ca/releases/2026AG0013-000209 # -# From Paul Eggert (2026-03-07): +# From Paul Eggert (2026-05-04): # The law says that 21 hours after the usual 2026-03-08 02:00 switch from # PST to PDT, the next day inaugurates the new standard time Pacific Time, # i.e., just one clock change but two name changes separated by 21 hours. # PT, the obvious abbreviation for Pacific Time, is one letter too short # to conform to TZDB’s (and POSIX’s) [-+[:alnum:]]{3,6} requirements. -# I asked the BC government for advice, with no response. For now, do this: +# For now, do this: # 1. As a temporary hack, pretend that the BC law takes effect # not on 2026-03-09 at 00:00, but on 2026-11-01 at 02:00. # This pretense works around a limitation in CLDR v48.2 (2026-03-17), @@ -1978,20 +1978,9 @@ Zone America/Edmonton -7:33:52 - LMT 1906 Sep # standard time, but it does have the right UT offset and it # works around the CLDR limitation. We should be able to remove # the temporary hack after CLDR is fixed. -# 2. After the BC law takes effect, model the time as MST sans DST. -# We can change this later if another conforming non-numeric abbreviation -# for Pacific Time becomes more popular. Possibilities include: -# MST - the most compatible with existing software and practice, -# and already used in parts of BC and in Yukon -# PDT - almost as software-friendly, but confusing because it implies -# it is DST and is paired with PST, whereas PT is standard time -# PST - straightforward but even more confusing, -# and will likely break much software that assumes PST is -08 -# -07 - accurate and clear in itself, but makes BC look odd vs neighbors -# CPT, CPST - for Canadian Pacific (Standard) Time, -# by analogy with AEST in Australia -# P-T - conforming approximation to “PT” -# PT+ - like P-T but suggesting one-hour advance over PST +# 2. After the BC law takes effect, model the time as PacT sans DST. +# The abbreviation “PacT” is currently being considered by the +# BC government. # From Chris Walton (2026-03-15): # The Regional District of East Kootenay is planning to move to year-round @@ -2024,7 +2013,7 @@ Zone America/Vancouver -8:12:28 - LMT 1884 # Temporary hack; see above. -8:00 1:00 PDT 2026 Nov 1 02:00 # End of temporary hack. - -7:00 - MST + -7:00 - PacT Zone America/Dawson_Creek -8:00:56 - LMT 1884 -8:00 Canada P%sT 1947 -8:00 Vanc P%sT 1972 Aug 30 2:00 -- 2.54.0