P.E.I. won't be getting rid of its annual vehicle inspections, after safety data review

The province of Prince Edward Island will continue to require annual motor vehicle inspections, after ordering a review of its program and those in other provinces.

Currently, all vehicles on the Island must be inspected by a licensed mechanic every year in order to qualify for an up-to-date inspection sticker. In some other provinces, like neighbouring Nova Scotia, inspections are required only every two years.

P.E.I. Transportation Minister Ernie Hudson said a review done in December found no strong evidence to justify changing the motor vehicle inspection (MVI) frequency.

"The decision has been made by myself, certainly, as minister, that there will be no change to the annual requirement of a motor vehicle inspection, and that is based on the information, what we have delved into," he told CBC News in an interview. "Safety, as I've said before, always has to be paramount."

While the annual inspection requirement will remain, Hudson said his department will look at whether to allow some leeway for new vehicles, which already undergo what's known as a pre-delivery inspection (PDI) before reaching the consumer.

"We do have to look at that, look what that PDI does entail as compared to what our MVI entails," he said. "With regard to new vehicles, we will be taking a closer look at that, and hopefully, within the next couple of months, be in a position to make a final decision on that."

Review highlighted safety concerns

Hudson said the review was sparked by questions raised by member of the public as well as MLAs in the legislature.

He pointed to data from 2022 highlighting the need for continued annual checks. That year, out of 126,123 vehicles inspected on P.E.I., about 10 per cent were found to have defective brakes.

"To me, that's a fairly high number," Hudson said.

Other findings from the review included:

• About 6 per cent of vehicles inspected in 2022 had defective suspension systems.
• Nearly 5 per cent had issues with tires and wheels.
• About 7 per cent had steering, exhaust or body frame issues.

The province also looked at national and international data. One U.S. study, published in 2023, found that jurisdictions with an active safety inspection and maintenance program for passenger vehicles tend to experience lower roadway fatality rates.

In Canada, vehicle-related factors contributed to 3.5 per cent of fatal collisions in 2022, according to Statistics Canada.

"I, as minister, certainly do not want to do anything, see anything take place that would result in an increase in vehicle collisions, injuries and the like that resulted from a change from an annual motor vehicle inspection," Hudson said.

"Do we want to keep it at 3.5 per cent or in that vicinity? No, I want to see it go lower than that."

Hudson also noted that the cost of an inspection on P.E.I. remains affordable, capped at $30 compared to $100 or more in other provinces.

"To me, $30 is not that high of a price to pay to make sure that your vehicle is in good running order, that your vehicle is safe and will continue to be safe over the next year, until you have your next MVI done."