News Release Archive
BUSINESS/CONSUMER SERVICES--TWO OFFICES REPLACE HALIFAX REGISTRY
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After a generation of serving drivers and vehicle owners, the
Registry of Motor Vehicles at 6061 Young St. in Halifax will
serve its last customer on Aug. 1.
In its place, Registry of Motor Vehicles (RMV) services will be
available at two new Access Nova Scotia centres: in Dartmouth at
the Superstore Mall on Portland Street beginning July 28 and in
Halifax at the West End Mall starting Aug. 5.
"About one-third of the registry's customers live in the Halifax
Regional Municipality, yet there has only been one office to
serve them," Wayne Gaudet, Minister of Business and Consumer
Services, said today. "RMV customers in this area will benefit
from the convenience of a second location, as well as the other
services that Access Nova Scotia will offer."
The Young Street office opened its doors for the first time in
1973. At the time, there were only two places in Nova Scotia
offering RMV services -- Halifax and Sydney. Also, every vehicle
registration expired on March 31, and anyone who didn't renew
their vehicle registration by mail risked a lengthy lineup at
either location.
"In those days, it wasn't unusual for someone to wait in line for
five or six hours if they waited until the last minute to renew,"
said Donna Arseneau-Estabrooks, a supervisor with Business and
Consumer Services who began her career at the Young Street RMV in
1974. "Things sure have changed since then."
With the addition of Dartmouth, there will be 14 communities in
Nova Scotia where licensing and registration services are
available. Vehicle registrations are now staggered for renewal
throughout the year. There is also a range of options for
renewing vehicle registrations: over the telephone, by mail, by
leaving an application in a drop-box, or in person at one of the
offices.
"We have a quick turnaround time for mailed renewals and
drop-offs," noted Mr. Gaudet. "And 93 per cent of people who have
tried telephone renewal were satisfied with the service. For
those who chose to come in to an RMV office, 60 per cent of
transactions can be accomplished in five minutes or less. That's
a far cry from the old days."
He also pointed out that the new Access Nova Scotia centres are
at major shopping areas of Halifax and Dartmouth with plenty of
free parking.
These new Access Nova Scotia centres will also offer a range of
other provincial government services. By later this summer
customers will be able to access the services of Consumer and
Commercial Relations, including residential tenancies. And
information about government programs and services will be
available along with the business registrations services of the
Registry of Joint Stock Companies.
A similar centre will open in Kentville this fall, with others to
open across Nova Scotia during the next three to five years.
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Contact: Louise MacDonald
Business and Consumer Services
902-424-0394
trp July 23, 1997 - 11 a.m.
