Toronto zone
EDT (GMT-4)
Chicago zone
CDT (GMT-5)
Difference
1 hour behind Toronto
Business overlap
7h (9-5 windows)
Working hours overlap
Each cell is one hour in Toronto. Filled cells mark when 9 AM – 5 PM in Toronto and Chicago both apply.
7 hours per day
- Toronto
- GMT-4
- Chicago
- GMT-5
- Difference
- -1h
- Business overlap
- 7h
Hour-by-hour conversion
Each row shows the matching local time in Chicago for an hour in Toronto.
| Toronto | Chicago | Day | Window |
|---|---|---|---|
| 12:00 AM | 11:00 PM | previous day | — |
| 1:00 AM | 12:00 AM | same day | — |
| 2:00 AM | 1:00 AM | same day | — |
| 3:00 AM | 2:00 AM | same day | — |
| 4:00 AM | 3:00 AM | same day | — |
| 5:00 AM | 4:00 AM | same day | — |
| 6:00 AM | 5:00 AM | same day | — |
| 7:00 AM | 6:00 AM | same day | — |
| 8:00 AM | 7:00 AM | same day | — |
| 9:00 AM | 8:00 AM | same day | — |
| 10:00 AM | 9:00 AM | same day | Both 9-5 |
| 11:00 AM | 10:00 AM | same day | Both 9-5 |
| 12:00 PM | 11:00 AM | same day | Both 9-5 |
| 1:00 PM | 12:00 PM | same day | Both 9-5 |
| 2:00 PM | 1:00 PM | same day | Both 9-5 |
| 3:00 PM | 2:00 PM | same day | Both 9-5 |
| 4:00 PM | 3:00 PM | same day | Both 9-5 |
| 5:00 PM | 4:00 PM | same day | — |
| 6:00 PM | 5:00 PM | same day | — |
| 7:00 PM | 6:00 PM | same day | — |
| 8:00 PM | 7:00 PM | same day | — |
| 9:00 PM | 8:00 PM | same day | — |
| 10:00 PM | 9:00 PM | same day | — |
| 11:00 PM | 10:00 PM | same day | — |
Best meeting windows
If both teams keep standard 9 AM – 5 PM hours, the overlap window is roughly 10:00 AM – 5:00 PM in Toronto time. That gives you 7 hours per workday for live meetings.
Tighter overlap is achievable by having the side with later working hours start earlier, or by treating the first and last hours of each side as flexible. The bar above marks every hour where both cities sit inside a 9 AM – 5 PM window.
About converting Toronto time to Chicago time
Toronto follows the America/Toronto time zone (currently EDT, GMT-4), while Chicago follows America/Chicago (currently CDT, GMT-5). Chicago is 1 hour behind Toronto right now.
Both cities observe daylight saving time. If their transition weekends differ, the offset shifts by one hour for a few weeks each spring and autumn.
Daylight saving transitions in 2026
Toronto
- Spring forward · Sunday, March 8, 2026
- Fall back · Sunday, November 1, 2026
Chicago
- Spring forward · Sunday, March 8, 2026
- Fall back · Sunday, November 1, 2026
Reverse this conversion
Chicago to Toronto
Open the converter
Plan a meeting between Toronto and Chicago
More conversions from Toronto
Frequently asked questions
- How many hours is Toronto from Chicago?
- Chicago is 1 hour behind Toronto right now.
- What time is 9:00 AM Toronto in Chicago?
- 9:00 AM in Toronto is 8:00 AM in Chicago.
- What time is 5:00 PM Toronto in Chicago?
- 5:00 PM in Toronto is 4:00 PM in Chicago.
- When do Toronto and Chicago business hours overlap?
- Standard 9 AM - 5 PM working hours overlap for about 7 hours, roughly from 10:00 AM to 5:00 PM in Toronto time.
- Does daylight saving time change the difference between Toronto and Chicago?
- Both Toronto and Chicago observe daylight saving time. If their transition dates differ, the offset between them shifts by an hour for a few weeks each year.
Local time page
Time in Toronto
Local time page
Time in Chicago