Sir Sandford Fleming, a Canadian engineer, proposed the worldwide system of standard time zones in the 1870s. His idea helped solve the growing confusion caused by local time differences, especially for railways and global travel.

Officially adopted in 1884, this innovation standardized timekeeping across the world, revolutionizing how people coordinate travel, communication, and daily life.

Fleming’s contribution is a point of pride in Canadian innovation and a topic that may appear in Canadian Citizenship Test preparation, especially in sections covering science, technology, and national achievements.