New Brunswick scrapping front license plates
Front plates are going away in New Brunswick and some people aren't too happy about it
The legal requirement of sticking a license plate on the front of one’s car is a hot topic in some circles, with some gearheads loathing the unsightly pieces of metal while others believe the plates to be a valuable safety and identification tool. Whatever side of the fence you’re on, front plates are required only in a minority of Canadian provinces. If plans laid out in the last New Brunswick budget are approved, that number will shrink even further.
The government calls it a cost-saving measure, though there are no plans to reduce the, y’know, actual cost of licensing one’s vehicle in New Brunswick once the change is put into place, at least not for drivers. Government will see a savings since they will effectively halve the number of plates they need to purchase from suppliers.
Gearheads often decry the need for front plates, alleging they ruin the look of their cars and spoil the aesthetic. They have a point, of course, and your author definitely falls into this group. Not everyone is happy with the proposed change, however.
Law enforcement officers in the province are crying foul, saying the removal of front plates will scupper their efforts to identify those who break the law. Bus drivers are voicing their disapproval as well, stating that front-facing license plates are a critical tool which helps them report drivers who fail to stop for a school bus with its red lights flashing. In some provinces where front plates are not required, very strict penalties are in place for passing a stopped school bus. PEI, for example, can slap offending drivers with a $5,000 fine and three-month license suspension.
In a timely bit of small-town carping, a man in neighbouring Nova Scotia took to the local newspaper to complain about the types of novelty plates displayed on the front of vehicles in his area. The re-introduction of front plates, he said, would curb the issue. Okay, then.
Once the New Brunswick government approves the change, the provinces of Ontario, British Columbia, and Manitoba will be the only remaining provinces still requiring a front plate, though Ontario is also nixing the front plate in the near future. The government says they will soon announce a date when these amendments will come into effect and motorists are reminded to continue to display two plates until the legislation is updated.
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