Access Nova Scotia Centre for Sydney

Customers of the Registry of Motor Vehicles in the Cape Breton Regional Municipality are about to receive more convenient service with the registry's move to a new location.

Business and Consumer Services Minister Keith Colwell announced today that by next spring, the Registry of Motor Vehicles and other government services will be available at an Access Nova Scotia centre to be built at 400 King's Rd., site of the former Isle Royale Motel in Sydney. The registry is currently in the Sydney Provincial Building.

"This new location will be more convenient for our customers in the surrounding industrial Cape Breton area," Mr. Colwell said. "The new centre will be on a major thoroughfare within a short drive of Highway 125. There will be ample parking, and the municipality plans to have traffic lights installed at the intersection of Churchill Drive and King's Road."

In addition to the Registry of Motor Vehicles, the new Access Nova Scotia centre will house Consumer and Commercial Relations. That office, which will move from the Commerce Tower, offers residential tenancies services, the orderly payment of debt and consumer proposals programs, as well as deals with consumer complaints.

The new centre will also offer information on government programs and services, and many services of the Registry of Joint Stock Companies for the benefit of industrial Cape Breton businesses.

"This centre is all about improving service to area residents and businesses by placing the most accessed government services under one roof," Mr. Colwell said.

A tender call this summer resulted in three proposals. After staff from Business and Consumer Services and Transportation and Public Works analysed the proposals, the tender was awarded to 2307407 N.S. Ltd., which is represented by Hugh Lynch of Sydney. An opening is planned for April 1999.

Access Nova Scotia centres opened in Halifax, Dartmouth and Kentville in 1997. In addition to Sydney, centres are also planned for Yarmouth and Antigonish by spring 1999.

The minister added that vehicle registration -- the most common motor registry transaction -- may now be done over the phone. "With every vehicle registration renewal package is a form that explains the telephone renewal option," Mr. Colwell said. "This is a convenient option for those who didn't renew by mail or can't make it down to an Access centre."