I played in a five day tournament in Montreal from Saturday to Wednesday. Time control 40/90, SD/30;+30. Two clock items of interest. 100-130 players, and I didn’t see a single Chronos. Mostly different flavors of DGT, though I didn’t notice a 3000. Also, they rented clocks for $5 per round if the players were lacking. As luck would have it, we left too quickly and didn’t bring our chess bag. None of my opponents brought clocks, either. It added a bit to the entry fee.
Alex Relyea
$5 per round to rent a clock? Really?? I hope this was well advertised in advance. I can only imagine the hostile reaction such a policy would engender if not. Even so it seems to me a classic case of being penny wise and pound foolish. Yes, it will augment the prize fund a bit. It will also serve to convince people never to enter this organizer’s tournaments in the future.
I assume it’s standard in Quebec. The flyer and announcements were in French, so I’m not sure. The price didn’t seem to slow the line any.
Alex Relyea
Besides, it’s only USD 3.61.
I guess if one clock goes missing a round - they got spares? 
8 people renting a clock = one DGT NA
Different places and different cultures have different norms. Quite possibly you are correct and this is SOP in Quebec. All I can say is that in my little neck of the woods (Atlanta, GA) this would go over like the proverbial pregnant pole vaulter.
Therein lies the basis of the free market. I do not see why organizers are required to provide clocks or to provide an inexpensive clock rental. In fact, I do not see why organizers are required to make any provision whatsoever for clock rental.
Organizers are not required to provide clock rental, either free or for a charge. However, if they don’t make some provision for it, then the games where neither player has a clock will be played without one. From the TD’s or organizer’s standpoint it is much better if all games have clocks on them. As the OP’s example illustrates, even experienced players will not infrequently show up without a clock.