Newfoundland Time Zone

The Newfoundland Time Zone is a geographic region that keeps time by subtracting 3½ hours from Coordinated Universal Time (UTC) during standard time, resulting in UTC−03:30; or subtracting 2½ hours during daylight saving time. The clock time in this zone is based on the mean solar time of the meridian 52 degrees and 30 arcminutes west of the Greenwich Observatory.

Scope

The Newfoundland Time Zone consists only of the province of Newfoundland and Labrador. Officially, the entire province is in the Newfoundland Time Zone by legislation. In practice, however, Newfoundland Time is observed only on the island of Newfoundland, its offshore islands, and southeastern Labrador communities south of Black Tickle. The rest of Labrador, from Cartwright north and west, observes the Atlantic Time Zone along with the rest of Atlantic Canada. Southeastern Labrador prefers Newfoundland Time in part to synchronize with the schedule of radio broadcasts from Newfoundland.

This time zone exists because of the location of the island and the fact that it was a separate dominion when the time zones were established. The island of Newfoundland lies squarely in the eastern half of the Atlantic Time Zone, exactly three and a half hours from Greenwich. Since it was separate from Canada, it had the right to adopt its own time zone. While the entire province lies west of the standard meridian for a half-hour time zone, 52.5 degrees west longitude, this is also the near exact meridian of St. John's, the province's capital and largest city. In 1963, the Newfoundland government attempted to bring the province into conformity with the other Atlantic provinces, but withdrew in the face of stiff public opposition.