Information last updated October 23, 2026.
Quick Links
Beginning Sunday, November 1, 2026, B.C. adopts permanent year-round daylight saving time, or Pacific time (PCT, UTC-07:00).
Most computers currently use the time zone (UTC-08:00) Pacific Time (US & Canada) and treat November 1 as a “fall back” from daylight saving time. As a result, meetings and appointments on or after November 1 may appear one hour off, depending on the device or app used to create or view them.
Microsoft has added a new time zone to Microsoft Windows called (UTC-07:00) Pacific Time (British Columbia). This update was released in October, along with updates for Outlook and Microsoft Teams.
Apple has updated macOS and iOS with the new BC time zones (represented by city location) to support BC’s new PCT time change. The update will not show the time zone differently in device settings but reflects UTC-07:00. Apple may update the new time zone naming in a future operating system update.
UBC IT has updated UBC-managed Windows and Mac computers and the default calendar time zone in Outlook. These updates don’t change meetings that are already in your calendar. Each meeting organizer needs to update their own meetings, and a new self-service tool can do much of this for you (see “Update your meetings with the self-service tool” below).
Who is affected
- All UBC faculty, staff and students who use UBC email and calendars (Microsoft 365, Outlook) or a computer or mobile phone set to Pacific Time.
- Most affected: Anyone who organizes meetings, books rooms or resources, or manages a calendar for someone else, such as an executive assistant or delegate.
- Mac users: Microsoft has started releasing an Outlook for Mac update with a new “British Columbia” time zone. UBC IT is still checking that it works correctly. Until we confirm, please create and update meetings in Outlook on the web (outlook.office.com).
- Exceptions: Communities in BC that follow Mountain Time (for example, Golden, Cranbrook and the East Kootenays) keep their current arrangement, also following Alberta’s permanent daylight saving move (UTC-06:00 year round). UBC community members who live in Washington, Oregon or California remain on US Pacific Time. See “If you work outside BC” below.
What UBC IT is doing
- UBC-managed Windows computers: Installed Microsoft’s October 2026 Windows update and set computers to the new (UTC-07:00) Pacific Time (British Columbia) time zone. Restart when prompted.
- UBC-managed Macs: Prompting computers that haven’t restarted recently to restart so they load Apple’s updated time zone data.
- Outlook on the web / new Outlook: Updated the default calendar time zone for UBC accounts to (UTC-07:00) Pacific Time (British Columbia).
- Keeping your availability visible: A Microsoft issue can hide people’s availability (free/busy) in Outlook on the web, new Outlook and Teams. Until Microsoft fixes it, UBC IT is setting meeting hours time zones to (UTC-07:00) Yukon every hour. Yukon uses the same time offset as BC, so your working hours stay correct. The time zone your calendar displays in is not changed.
- Self-service tool: A secure UBC tool that updates many of the meetings you organized in a few clicks and gives you a list of the rest.
- Testing and vendor escalation: Testing Outlook, Teams, Mac, iOS, Android, Bookings and room bookings, escalating issues with Microsoft, and collaborating with other BC institutions.
What you need to do
Step 1: Now. Install updates and restart your computer.
- UBC-managed Windows computers: Restart when prompted. The update is installed automatically.
- UBC-managed Macs: Restart when prompted, especially if you have not restarted in a while.
- Personal or unmanaged devices: Install the latest Windows, macOS or Linux updates and restart. Windows users need the October 2026 Windows update or later.
- UBC-managed Windows computer that hasn’t updated? Restart it and connect to the UBC network. If the update still hasn’t installed, install it from Software Centre - select the package named "Set Time Zone – Pacific Time (PCT)" or contact the Help Desk.
Step 2: Now. Check your time zone settings.
- Windows computer: In Settings > Time & language > Date & time, the time zone should be (UTC-07:00) Pacific Time (British Columbia). If it isn’t, select it.
- Seeing (UTC-07:00) Yukon? Yukon can be used as a temporary alternative if the BC time zone isn’t available. It uses the same time offset as BC, so meetings will show at the correct time. You don’t need to change 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). How to Change the Default Time Zone in Outlook on the Web
- Tip: The new BC time zone may appear above the currently selected zone in the list, not in numerical order. Scroll up to find it.
- Do not select “Yes, update” on the message offering to change your meeting hours time zone. See the known issues below.
- Classic Outlook for Windows: Classic Outlook uses your Windows time zone, so no separate setting is needed once Windows is set correctly. What version of Outlook do I have?
- Mac: Update macOS and restart. Your Mac should be set to Vancouver. Don’t select the new “British Columbia” option in Outlook for Mac until UBC IT confirms it works correctly. Use Outlook on the web instead. MacOS: How do I validate or change my time zone (Apple MacOS)
- iPhone, iPad and Android: Please ensure that your operating system is updated and is using the new time zone.
Step 3: Now. Update the meetings you organized.
Update any meeting you organized that takes place on or after November 1, including recurring series. Open the meeting (or the whole series), turn on or select the time zone option, choose (UTC-07:00) Pacific Time (British Columbia), and send the update.
Tip: Consider adding the BC time to the meeting title, for example “10:00 a.m. PCT.”
- Fastest option: Use the self-service tool below to update many of your meetings at once. See “Update your meetings with the self-service tool” below. Then update any remaining meetings manually using the steps below.
- Attendees automatically receive the updated invitation. You only need to update meetings you organized. If you were invited, the organizer is responsible for the update.
- Recurring series: Changing the time zone of a series resets any individual occurrences you changed or cancelled. For simple series, update the time zone. For long-running or heavily changed series, end the series on October 31 and create a new one starting November 1 with the new time zone.
- Meetings with a room: After updating, check the room’s response. If the room declines, cancel the meeting and rebook it, or contact the room’s booking administrator.
- Classic Outlook: new meetings may show (UTC-07:00) Yukon as the time zone. This shows the correct time, or you can select (UTC-07:00) Pacific Time (British Columbia) instead.
- Mac and mobile users: Make these updates in Outlook on the web (outlook.office.com), not in Outlook for Mac, Apple Calendar or phone apps.
Step 4: November 1 onward. Double-check.
Confirm the start times of important meetings, especially those with people outside BC. If a time looks wrong, confirm it with the organizer.
If your computer clock shows the wrong time after November 1, restart it. If the problem continues, contact the UBC IT Help Desk.
Update your meetings with the self-service tool
Update your meetings with the self-service tool
UBC IT has built a secure tool that scans your calendar and updates the time zone of eligible meetings you organized for November 1 and later. Meetings stay at the same time; only their time zone changes
- Go to the self-service tool and sign in with your firstname.lastname@ubc.ca login ID and CWL password.
- Select Scan. The tool shows what it can change before anything happens. Nothing changes until you confirm.
- Review the results and confirm. Attendees receive an updated invitation for each meeting that is changed.
- Download your reports for anything the tool couldn’t change:
- Needs your choice: meetings in a different time zone, such as Eastern Time.
- Needs manual action: recurring series with changed or cancelled occurrences. Update these yourself, or end and recreate them.
- Organized by someone else: a list of the organizer for each meeting, so you know who to ask.
- Room declined or didn’t respond: the tool never double-books a room. Cancel and rebook these meetings.
The tool only works on your own calendar, using your own permissions. UBC IT does not track or record any details about your meetings.
Executive assistants and delegates: you can’t run the tool on someone else’s calendar. Sit down with the person you support and have them run it, then use the reports to finish the rest.
What not to do
- Don’t click “Yes, update” when Outlook on the web asks whether to change your meeting hours time zone to match. A known Microsoft issue will hide your availability from others. UBC IT corrects this every hour, but it’s best to select No.
- Don’t move or edit meetings someone else organized. Ask the organizer to update them.
- Don’t shift meeting start times by an hour to compensate. Change the meeting’s time zone instead.
- Don’t update meetings from Outlook for Mac, Apple Mail/Calendar, or mobile apps. Use Outlook on the web (outlook.office.com) instead.
- Don’t select “British Columbia” in Outlook for Mac yet. Use Outlook on the web until UBC IT confirms it works correctly.
Key dates
| Date | What happens |
|---|---|
From Oct 15 | The Windows update with the new BC time zone is installed on UBC-managed Windows computers. Restart when prompted. |
Oct 20–21 | UBC IT set UBC-managed Windows computers to the new BC time zone and updated the default calendar time zone in Outlook on the web and new Outlook to (UTC-07:00) Pacific Time (British Columbia). |
From Oct 22 | UBC IT is temporarily setting meeting hours time zones to (UTC-07:00) Yukon every hour to keep availability (free/busy) visible. This continues until Microsoft releases a fix. |
From Oct 23 | Update your meetings now. Check your settings, then update the meetings you organized, using the self-service tool or Outlook. |
By Oct 31 | Finish updating meetings and check room bookings. |
Known issues
| Issue | What you may see | What to do |
|---|---|---|
| Availability (free/busy) not showing | Your availability, or a colleague’s, doesn’t show in Outlook on the web, new Outlook or Teams. Classic Outlook still shows it. This happens when the meeting hours time zone is set to the new BC time zone, which Classic Outlook can do automatically when it syncs. | UBC IT checks every hour and fixes affected accounts automatically. Don’t click “Yes, update” on the meeting hours prompt. If it isn’t fixed within a couple of hours, contact the Help Desk. Microsoft is developing a fix. |
| Time zone list order | The new BC time zone may appear above the currently selected one instead of in numerical order. | Scroll up in the list to find (UTC-07:00) Pacific Time (British Columbia). |
| Mac and mobile apps | Outlook for Mac, Apple Calendar and mobile apps may show meetings on or after November 1 an hour off, and may not let you change a meeting’s time zone. | Create and update meetings in Outlook on the web (outlook.office.com). Restart your Mac and phone after updates. |
| Meeting hours time zone shows Yukon | In Outlook on the web, Settings > Calendar shows your meeting hours time zone as (UTC-07:00) Yukon. | This is expected and temporary. Yukon uses the same time offset as BC and keeps your availability visible. You don’t need to change it. |
| Outlook for Mac shows “British Columbia (UTC-08:00)” | A new British Columbia option in Outlook for Mac is labelled UTC-08:00. | Don’t select it yet. UBC IT is checking whether it works correctly. Use Outlook on the web. |
| Computer hasn’t received the update | Your computer doesn’t list (UTC-07:00) Pacific Time (British Columbia), or the clock is wrong after November 1. | Restart and connect to the UBC network. On UBC-managed Windows, install the update from Software Centre - select the package named "Set Time Zone – Pacific Time (PCT)". Otherwise, select (UTC-07:00) Yukon temporarily or contact the Help Desk. |
| Room and resource bookings | When you update a meeting with a room, the room may decline because the updated time overlaps an existing booking. | Check the room’s response after updating. If it declines, cancel and rebook the meeting, or contact the room’s booking administrator. The self-service tool flags any room that declines. |
| Other calendars and systems | Other booking, event and scheduling systems at UBC, including departmental and third-party tools, are managed by their system owners, who are responsible for confirming how their systems handle the change. Personal calendars such as Google Calendar use different time zone data and may behave differently from Microsoft 365. | |
If you work outside BC or use an older computer
- Working in Washington, Oregon or California: UBC IT’s updates may set your computer and Outlook to BC time. Set them back to (UTC-08:00) Pacific Time (US & Canada). If you use a UBC-managed computer, contact the Help Desk so your computer isn’t changed back automatically.
- Windows 10 without Extended Security Updates: these computers won’t receive the new BC time zone. Select (UTC-07:00) Yukon as a temporary workaround, and plan to upgrade.
Frequently asked questions
Why can’t UBC IT just fix all my meetings?
Every updated meeting must be resent to all attendees. Doing this automatically for the whole university could create large numbers of duplicate or incorrect updates, and there would be no reliable way to undo it. Meeting 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 updates when you accept or receive the organizer’s new invitation.
My Google or personal calendar looks fine. Why is Outlook different?
Different platforms use different time zone systems and update at different times. Microsoft 365 needs the new BC time zone to be selected for both your settings and 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?
Those meetings are most likely to appear at the wrong time. Confirm the time with attendees, and consider adding the BC time to the meeting title, for example “10:00 a.m. PCT.”
Why does my meeting hours time zone say Yukon?
It’s a temporary fix for a Microsoft issue that hides people’s availability. Yukon uses the same time offset as BC (UTC-07:00), so your working hours are correct. UBC IT will remove the workaround once Microsoft fixes the issue.
Why can’t I see a colleague’s availability?
They are probably affected by the Microsoft issue above. UBC IT corrects affected accounts every hour. In the meantime, Classic Outlook still shows availability.
Does the self-service tool send emails to my attendees?
Yes. Each updated meeting sends an updated invitation, just like updating it yourself.
Does Zoom need to be updated?
No. Zoom uses your Outlook mailbox time zone, which UBC IT has already updated.
Step-by-step guides
Knowledge Base: Set your Windows time zone manually
- [PUBLIC] Linux: How do I validate or change my time zone (Linux)
- [PUBLIC] Windows: How do I validate or change my time zone (Windows)
- [PUBLIC] MacOS: How do I validate or change my time zone (Apple MacOS)
Knowledge Base: Set your time zone in Outlook
- [PUBLIC] Outlook: How to Change the Default Time Zone in Outlook on the Web
- [PUBLIC] Outlook: How to change the Default Time Zone in Classic Outlook
Knowledge Base: How to update existing meetings in Outlook
- [PUBLIC] Outlook: How to Update Upcoming Events and Meetings in Outlook on the Web
- [PUBLIC] Outlook: How to Update Upcoming Events and Meetings in Classic Outlook
Get Help
UBC Vancouver: If you need assistance, contact the UBC IT Help Desk at 604-822-2008 or submit a ticket via it.ubc.ca/selfservice.
UBC Okanagan: If you need assistance, contact the UBCO IT Help Desk at 250-807-9000 or submit a ticket via it.ok.ubc.ca/contact.
