Drivers face year-long licence delays
Department says licence renewal delays won't decrease until end of 2018
Beth Brown
Northern News Services
Monday, March 20, 2017
NUNAVUT
Drivers are waiting more than a year for the government to renew their licences, and MLAs want to know why.
Nunavut MLAs say their constituents are experiencing year-long delays to see their driver's licences renewed, even when the licence is required for employment. - Beth Brown/NNSL photo |
"Sometimes they have to wait for over a year to receive their licences," said Tununiq MLA Joe Enook. "Even with properly filled forms."
He said the problem isn't just in his hamlet.
"In Pond Inlet, Arctic Bay, Kugaaruk, everywhere, what is the problem? Why do we wait for so long?"
Ideally motor vehicle licence applications are to be processed within three months.
In Nunavut, this deadline is nearly impossible to meet, due to aged equipment, reliance on the postal system and a lack of human resources, said Economic Development and Transportation Minister Monica Ell-Kanayuk. The topic came up during a review of the Operations and Maintenance Act March 10 and 11.
This is all slated to change in 2018 -though the minister gave little insight on how delays would be dealt with in the meantime.
"In the past sessions, members approved the Motor Vehicles Information System, which is the computer software to process the various licence types," she said.
Connections are being installed in communities to accommodate the new system.
"In 2018 all of the communities will have the system installed."
She noted it will be toward the end of the year.
Right now hamlets are using a system and equipment from the 1980s.
"That's the reason it's so slow. Once the new computer system is in place ... it will simplify the process," she said.
Aivilik MLA Steve Mapsalak noted the wait time becomes an issue for residents and hamlets when the licences are required for employment.
"There are water truck drivers or heavy equipment (drivers) who presently hold driver's licences. The hamlet SAO was concerned that many licences have expired but they still have not received their (renewed licence) and they're having a hard time finding drivers."
As the delay is a long-standing issue, members were also offering solutions that might alleviate the struggle over the next two years.
Baker Lake MLA Simeon Mikkungwak, who said the delay was also a headache for heavy equipment drivers in his community, asked if the applications should be sent by cargo instead of via the regular post, to speed up delivery.
Currently the forms cannot be emailed or faxed, but must be sent through the postal system.
"Once we have the new system in place, it will allow the processing of an application to be submitted online," said Ell-Kanayuk.
He also wondered if expiry dates could be extended on licences. Ell-Kanayuk said this would be difficult as some licences require medical examinations.
The Class 5 driver's licence, the regular driver's licence, is valid for five years.
South Baffin MLA David Joanasie said temporary driver's licences applied for in the interim of a permanent licence cause their own sub-category of delays for the waiting licence holders, because the temporary licences expire within three months.
"Nunavummiut will have to keep going back and forth. While they're waiting for their driver's licence, perhaps leave the temporary driver's licence open without an expiry date," he said. "I would like to ask the minister if they can do that while we're waiting for the new driver's licence."
Ell-Kanayuk said this wasn't doable due to previous agreements signed with the provinces.
Mapsalak wondered if, for the Kivalliq, delays happened at the regional office in Rankin Inlet, where his constituents send their applications, due to lack of staffing.
Ell-Kanayuk acknowledged this as a possible hold-up, but not one that would outweigh numerous other reasons - of which old equipment is primary.
Enook wanted to know if the system installation had adequate funding. The answer was yes.
