Makar Sankranti and Pongal in Canada: Times by Province, Tamil Heritage Month and Winter Tips

Quick answer: In 2027 the Sun enters Makara on the morning of Thursday 14 January across Canada: 10:44 AM in Toronto and Montreal, 10:44 AM in Winnipeg, 9:44 AM in Calgary and Edmonton, and 8:44 AM in Vancouver. Because British Columbia, Alberta and Manitoba no longer fall back in winter, older calendars may show the western times an hour too early.

Key facts for 2027

The moment itself is the same instant everywhere: 15:44 UTC, which is 9:14 PM IST in India. India keeps the festival a day later: 15 January in India per the panchang; some government lists mark 14 January. In Canada, Bhogi and Lohri fall on the day and evening before your local Sankranti, and Mattu Pongal and Kaanum Pongal on the two days after. Confirm with your local panchang or temple priest.

Why are the western provinces' times different from older calendars?

Three provinces changed how they keep time in 2026, so January 2027 is the first Sankranti under the new rules:

• British Columbia made its last clock change on 8 March 2026 and now stays on Pacific time at UTC−7 all year. Clocks did not fall back on 1 November 2026.
• Alberta moved to permanent Alberta Time (ABT), equal to UTC−6, from 1 November 2026.
• Manitoba moved to Manitoba Standard Time (MBT), equal to UTC−5, from 1 November 2026.

So the Sankranti moment is 8:44 AM in Vancouver, 9:44 AM in Calgary and Edmonton, and 10:44 AM in Winnipeg, each one hour later than winter standard time would have given. A printed calendar, a panchang app or a website that has not been updated for these changes will be an hour early. Check that your phone has its latest software update, and read our note on puja timings after clock changes.

Vancouver: the moment comes before sunrise

In Vancouver the Sun enters Makara at 8:44 AM, about 20 minutes before the late winter sunrise. The festival still belongs to Thursday 14 January, but the Punya Kaal cannot begin in the dark. Drik Panchang starts it at sunrise, 9:03 AM, and runs it to sunset at 5:41 PM, with the Maha Punya Kaal from 9:03 AM to 10:29 AM. In practice, bathe and prepare before 9:03 AM and make your offering to the Sun once it has risen.

In Calgary the moment comes shortly after sunrise, because Alberta's year-round clock makes winter mornings late. In Toronto, Montreal and Winnipeg it falls mid-morning, during working hours for most people.

Tamil Heritage Month: why January matters in Canada

January is Tamil Heritage Month in Canada, and Thai Pongal is part of the reason.

• Ontario. The Tamil Heritage Month Act, 2014 (Statutes of Ontario 2014, chapter 4) received Royal Assent on 25 March 2014. It proclaims January of each year as Tamil Heritage Month. Its preamble notes that Tamils have been coming to Ontario since as early as the 1940s, and names the Tamil harvest festival, Thai Pongal, as one reason January is significant.
• Federal. On 5 October 2016 the House of Commons agreed to Motion M-24, which called on the government to recognise Tamil-Canadians' contributions by declaring January, every year, Tamil Heritage Month.

For families this means Pongal season often comes with civic events, school activities and community galas, alongside the temple pujas.

Where does the Greater Toronto Area community celebrate?

In the Greater Toronto Area, Tamil families keep Thai Pongal and Telugu families keep Sankranti at home, at temples and through community associations. These are temples and organisations whose own websites we checked on 12 November 2026. None had published a 2027 Pongal or Sankranti programme on that date, so check their website for this year's programme:

• Richmond Hill Hindu Temple. Run by the Hindu Temple Society of Canada, which its website says was chartered in 1973; the main shrine to Lord Muruga was installed in 1988. rhht.ca
• Sri Varasiththi Vinaayagar Hindu Temple of Toronto, Scarborough. A Tamil temple dedicated to Lord Ganesha. vinaayagar.com
• Canadian Tamil Congress. Holds an annual Thai Pongal and Tamil Heritage Month gala; its website reports the 19th, held in Markham on 24 January 2026. canadiantamilcongress.ca
• Telugu Cultural Association of Greater Toronto (TCAGT). Its website features its Sankranti celebrations among its yearly events. telugutoronto.com

Because 14 January 2027 is a Thursday, temples and associations commonly hold their main gathering on the following weekend, 16 and 17 January, or later in the month. Only the organiser's own notice confirms a date.

Keeping Pongal in deep winter

Bhogi without a bonfire

Bhogi is the clearing-out day before Pongal, traditionally marked in South India by a morning fire of worn-out things. In a Canadian January, an outdoor fire is usually neither practical nor allowed.

In Toronto, Toronto Fire Services says open-air burning is not permitted, and that includes bonfires, wood-burning fire pits and outdoor fireplaces in backyards, unless the city has issued an open-air burn permit. Rules differ by municipality, so check your own city's fire department before lighting anything outdoors. Many families keep Bhogi as a deep-clean day, donate warm clothes they no longer need, and light one oil lamp indoors. Never light an open flame on an apartment or condo balcony.

Smoke and carbon monoxide alarms

Ontario law requires a working smoke alarm on every storey of a home and outside all sleeping areas. Since 1 January 2026, homes with a fuel-burning appliance, a fireplace or an attached garage also need carbon monoxide alarms on every storey. Other provinces have their own rules, so check with your local fire service.

When the Pongal pot boils over in a sealed winter kitchen:

• Run the range hood and keep a lid nearby; do not disable an alarm.
• Put a tray under the pot, because spilled milk can put out a gas flame.
• Clay pots do not work on induction, and many are not made for a strong direct flame. A heavy steel or brass pot is safer on modern stoves.
• Keep oil lamps on a metal plate, away from curtains, and put them out before you leave the room.

Kolam, cattle and the outdoors

Snow and ice make the doorstep kolam (rice-flour pattern) hard to draw. Families draw it on a board or mat inside the front door, or use coloured chalk on a cleared path when the weather allows. Mattu Pongal honours the cattle that work the land; in a Canadian city it is often kept by remembering farmers, giving to an animal shelter or visiting a farm open to visitors, if it is open in January. Keep children back from large animals and follow the farm's rules.

Ingredients: what to stock up on

Indian and Sri Lankan grocers across the GTA, Montreal, Calgary, Edmonton, Winnipeg and Metro Vancouver carry most Pongal staples. Winter storms can delay deliveries, so shop a week early.

• Raw rice such as ponni or sona masoori, and split moong dal.
• Jaggery; dark brown sugar works if you run out.
• Ghee, cashews and raisins. Remember the allergens: dairy and tree nuts in sweet Pongal, and sesame and peanuts in many Sankranti sweets.
• Sugarcane and fresh turmeric plants are hard to find in January; a fresh turmeric root tied to the pot is a common substitute.

Our sakkarai Pongal recipe and ariselu recipe give stovetop methods that suit a Canadian kitchen.

Children and schools

• January's Tamil Heritage Month gives children an easy way to share Pongal at school: a kolam drawing, a sugarcane story or a jar of Pongal for the class, if the school allows food.
• Let them shout "Pongalo Pongal!" as the pot boils over.
• Bhogi is a good time to sort outgrown snow boots and coats for donation.
• On Kaanum Pongal, the day of visits, call or visit grandparents, including those in India over video.

Lohri in Canada

Lohri is the Punjabi winter bonfire evening before Makar Sankranti. It is shared by Hindu and Sikh families, and the following day, Maghi, also recalls for Sikhs the Forty Liberated Ones commemorated at Sri Muktsar Sahib. In Canada the Lohri evening falls on the evening before your local Sankranti, but community celebrations at gurdwaras, mandirs and banquet halls are usually on the nearest weekend.

Toronto's open-air burning rules apply to Lohri fires too, and other cities have their own. Where a fire is not allowed, families keep the rest of the evening: rewri, gajak, peanuts and popcorn, folk songs and dancing, with lamps in place of the flames. A family's first Lohri after a wedding or a baby's birth is celebrated with special joy. Read more in our Lohri bonfire guide.

Frequently asked questions

Is Pongal on 14 or 15 January in Canada in 2027?

Thai Pongal and Makar Sankranti fall on Thursday 14 January 2027 in Toronto, Montreal, Calgary and Vancouver. The Sun enters Makara on Thursday morning local time, before sunset, so the panchang keeps the festival on that day. India keeps it on Friday 15 January.

What time is Makar Sankranti in Vancouver in 2027?

The Sun enters Makara at 8:44 AM in Vancouver on Thursday 14 January 2027. British Columbia now stays on UTC−7 all year, so any calendar showing a time one hour earlier is out of date. Drik Panchang gives the Punya Kaal as 9:03 AM to 5:41 PM, starting at sunrise.

Why does my calendar show a different time for Calgary or Winnipeg?

Alberta and Manitoba stopped changing their clocks on 1 November 2026. Alberta is now on UTC−6 and Manitoba on UTC−5 all year, so the moment is 9:44 AM in Calgary and Edmonton and 10:44 AM in Winnipeg. A calendar made before the change will be an hour early.

What is the Punya Kaal in Toronto?

Drik Panchang gives the Punya Kaal for Toronto as 10:44 AM to 5:05 PM on Thursday 14 January 2027, with the Maha Punya Kaal from 10:44 AM to 12:17 PM. Confirm with your local panchang or temple priest.

Why is January Tamil Heritage Month in Canada?

Ontario's Tamil Heritage Month Act, 2014 proclaims January as Tamil Heritage Month and names Thai Pongal as one reason January matters. The House of Commons agreed in 2016 to a motion recognising January as Tamil Heritage Month every year.

Can I light a Bhogi or Lohri fire in my backyard in Toronto?

Toronto Fire Services says open-air burning, including backyard fire pits and bonfires, is not permitted without a city permit. Other municipalities have their own bylaws, so check before lighting anything outdoors. A lamp indoors, kept away from curtains, is the usual alternative.

When do GTA temples hold their Pongal celebrations?

Each temple sets its own programme, and many hold the main celebration on the weekend after the festival. Check the temple's own website or notice board in early January.

Do I need to do anything different in a high-rise condo?

Yes. Do not light open flames on balconies, keep lamps inside on a metal plate, and run the range hood while the Pongal boils. Never disable a smoke alarm to cook.

Sources

• Drik Panchang, Makar Sankranti 2027 for Toronto: https://www.drikpanchang.com/sankranti/makar-sankranti-date-time.html?geoname-id=6167865&year=2027 (accessed 11 November 2026)
• Drik Panchang, Makar Sankranti 2027 for Vancouver: https://www.drikpanchang.com/sankranti/makar-sankranti-date-time.html?geoname-id=6173331&year=2027 (accessed 11 November 2026)
• Government of British Columbia, Permanent daylight saving time: https://www2.gov.bc.ca/gov/content/governments/celebrating-british-columbia/daylight-saving-time (accessed 12 November 2026)
• Government of Alberta, Alberta's new time system (ABT): https://www.alberta.ca/albertas-new-time-system-abt (accessed 12 November 2026)
• Government of Manitoba, Manitoba's new year-round time zone: https://www.gov.mb.ca/timechange/index.html (accessed 12 November 2026)
• Legislative Assembly of Ontario, Bill 156, Tamil Heritage Month Act, 2014: https://www.ola.org/en/legislative-business/bills/parliament-40/session-2/bill-156 (accessed 12 November 2026)
• House of Commons of Canada, M-24 Tamil Heritage Month: https://www.ourcommons.ca/Members/en/89449/motions/8070118 (accessed 12 November 2026)
• Government of Ontario, Fire safety at home: https://www.ontario.ca/page/fire-safety-home (accessed 12 November 2026)
• Government of Ontario, Carbon monoxide alarm requirements for homes: https://www.ontario.ca/files/2025-12/solgen-co-alarm-requirements-homes-en-2025-12-17.pdf (accessed 12 November 2026)
• City of Toronto, Toronto Fire Services, Open air burning: https://www.toronto.ca/community-people/public-safety-alerts/safety-tips-prevention/seasonal-and-holiday-safety/open-air-burning/ (accessed 12 November 2026)
• Richmond Hill Hindu Temple, About: https://rhht.ca/about (accessed 12 November 2026)
• Sri Varasiththi Vinaayagar Hindu Temple of Toronto: https://www.vinaayagar.com/about (accessed 12 November 2026)
• Canadian Tamil Congress, 19th Annual Thai Pongal and Tamil Heritage Month Gala Dinner: https://www.canadiantamilcongress.ca/?p=11373 (accessed 12 November 2026)
• Telugu Cultural Association of Greater Toronto: https://www.telugutoronto.com/ (accessed 12 November 2026)

Last reviewed: 12 November 2026.

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