SAAQclic fiasco: Quebec Transport Minister questions anticorruption boss

Quebec Deputy premier and Transport Minister Genevieve Guilbault during question period at the legislature in Quebec City, Thursday, Jan. 30, 2025 (Jacques Boissinot / The Canadian Press) (Jacques Boissinot/The Canadian Press)

The auditor general’s report on the computer fiasco at the Quebec auto insurance board (Société de l’assurance automobile du Québec - SAAQ) continues to make waves.

On Monday, Transport Minister Geneviève Guilbault wrote to anticorruption unit (UPAC) head Éric René, urging him to look into the “outrageous” facts contained in the report.

“I consider that the facts mentioned (...) must be the object of attention commensurate with their seriousness,” she wrote. “It appears that your organization is currently analyzing the report. I believe that this analysis is essential in the circumstances.”

In her letter, Guilbault lists what she considers to be ‘extremely troubling’ findings, including:

Incomplete planning of digital transformation needs prior to signing the contract with the Alliance, with this process not being finalized until 12 months later;

An apparent conflict of interest regarding the firm that assessed the digital transformation needs and its involvement in the Alliance that won the tender for CASA;

An increase in the total cost of the project by as much as $1.1 billion, i.e. 40 per cent more than originally forecast;

Repeated manipulation of strategic information intended for decision-makers, concealing delays, unmet objectives, computer anomalies, unperformed tests, etc;

The transmission of incomplete and erroneous information to parliamentarians, minimizing or concealing the extent of the situation;

A risky strategy of contract splitting to avoid alerting the government to a $222 million cost overrun in September 2022.

“Citizens have the right to expect sound and transparent management of public funds, a duty that the SAAQ has notoriously neglected,” wrote Guilbault.

This report by The Canadian Press was first published in French on Feb. 25, 2025.