Half an hour later in Newfoundland: The origin of Canada's 30-minute time zone
With the clocks set to change, cultural historian Ainsley Hawthorn takes a broader look at time: specifically, why Newfoundland has a time zone to call its own.
![Half an hour later in Newfoundland: The origin of Canada's 30-minute time zone](https://i.cbc.ca/1.7001195.1699016283!/fileImage/httpImage/image.jpg_gen/derivatives/16x9_620/mid-day-gun-at-ottawa.jpg)
![Before reliable time pieces were widely available, people relied on public signals like church bells, factory whistles, or time balls to check that they were keeping the correct local time. Officials at St. John’s, Halifax, Québec City, and Ottawa fired a gun to mark noon. A black and white cartoon of men in top hats gathered around a cannon, fixing their watches.](https://i.cbc.ca/1.7001195.1699016283!/fileImage/httpImage/image.jpg_gen/derivatives/16x9_620/mid-day-gun-at-ottawa.jpg)
With the clocks set to change, cultural historian Ainsley Hawthorn takes a broader look at time: specifically, why Newfoundland has a time zone to call its own.