Union says Quebec needs public inquiry into all IT outsourcing after SAAQClic fiasco

Waits at SAAQ offices remain long despite the shift to the digital platform. The Quebec auditor general report says the shift was expensive and did not have the anticipated benefits. (Ryan Remiorz / The Canadian Press) (Ryan Remiorz/The Canadian Press)

The major union representing IT professionals in the Quebec government says the announcement of a public enquiry into the failings of SAAQClic isn’t enough. It is calling for a public enquiry into all government IT outsourcing.

The Syndicat des professionnels du gouvernement du Québec (SPGQ) - a union independent of the central labour bodies - is denouncing the fact that the government has become “dependent” on private IT firms due to a lack of in-house expertise.

“And if Quebec lacks in-house expertise, it’s because it’s having trouble recruiting because of the conditions it offers,” said Martin Trudel, third vice-president of the SPGQ, in an interview on Monday.

He reports that a good developer in the private sector can earn $100,000 more than a developer in the public service, not to mention the fact that they aren’t required to come into the office two days a week.

“That’s a mentality: they don’t want to deal with it; they want to send everything to the private sector,” said Trudel.

“We’re dependent on a number of IT systems, software and payroll systems,” he added.

He is calling for the public enquiry announced on Sunday by Premier François Legault into the IT failings of SAAQClic to be extended to all government subcontracting.

This report by The Canadian Press was first published in French March 3, 2025.