The Nova Scotia government decided they will not remove motor vehicle inspections.

“We’ve reviewed that idea and we will not be proceeding with removing MVI inspections,” Masland tells reporters Thursday.

The government may review how often vehicles need to be inspected, says Kim Masland, Minister of Public Works.

The province started looking into removing MVIs at the beginning of the year after other regions have done something similar, and by trying to see how the government could save money for Nova Scotians.

She says safety is the “utmost of importance,” but she does not have evidence to show that MVIs reduce accidents.

“But I think common sense would tell you that if you’re not getting your vehicle inspected, and you’re letting it go five years, we know that on our roads there’s wear and tear of vehicles,” she says.

Caucus members spoke with Nova Scotians and people in the business community, who mostly said they wanted to keep MVIs, so the government decide to keep them, she says.

Some people may be concerned that mechanics say their vehicles need things fixed that aren’t broken so the mechanics can make extra money, and Masland says she’s heard those concerns.

But she says she trusts her own mechanic, who’s so busy he doesn’t have time to say there’s a bunch of things wrong with her vehicle.

Nova Scotia NDP leader Claudia Chender called for MVI fees and license renewal fees to be removed in February.

“This is the most expensive sticker you’ll ever buy and the government requires you to spend this money. In the face of the current affordability crisis, the premier could give everyday Nova Scotians a break and waive these fees,” she writes in a news release.

The NDP also called to have MVIs required every five years instead of every two.