Leaders of the SAAQ face allegations of hiding significant delays, quality issues, and a $500 million budget increase, complicating the launch of the SAAQclic platform. Prime Minister François Legault expressed feeling deceived, while the Auditor General’s findings revealed critical tests were skipped before launch, resulting in software malfunctions and continued challenges. The CASA program’s budget has ballooned from $638 million to a projected $1.1 billion, with concerns about oversight and conflicts of interest in contract awards.
Leaders of the Société de l’assurance automobile du Québec (SAAQ) are accused of concealing significant delays, quality concerns, and an alarming cost increase of $500 million from senior management, the board of directors, and the government. This lack of transparency contributed to the troubled launch of the SAAQclic platform. Prime Minister François Legault has expressed feeling misled, stating, “We were lied to,” a sentiment echoed by other ministers.
Serious Allegations and Government Response
Prime Minister François Legault condemned the situation, declaring, “What happened is very serious,” and emphasized that misleading information was provided to the government. The Legault administration has denied any responsibility, with Minister François Bonnardel stating, “We were deceived,” and asserting that falsehoods were relayed to ministerial colleagues.
The Liberal Party has suggested that the situation was known to many, with MP Monsef Derraji claiming the SAAQ attempted to mislead lawmakers by supplying documents containing inaccuracies. Reports from the Auditor General indicate a disconnect, revealing that IT management under Karl Malenfant claimed the CASA program was progressing on schedule. However, by June 2020, key risk indicators regarding the IT project’s costs were flagged as problematic but were later altered to appear favorable.
Auditor General’s Findings and Ongoing Issues
The Auditor General uncovered troubling insights regarding the CASA program’s management, revealing that costs ballooned to nearly $500 million without proper communication to key decision-makers. Critical tests were not performed before the February 2023 launch of the new SAAQclic system, resulting in ongoing issues that have yet to yield the desired improvements.
Initially set with a budget of $638 million, projections now suggest expenses could reach approximately $1.1 billion by 2027. The document highlights that some foreseeable costs had not even been assessed, raising the risk of additional unforeseen expenses. The complexity associated with managing “permits, registration, and road control” has been grossly underestimated, leading to over 300% increases in budget projections.
Furthermore, it was reported that 20% of final IT tests were incomplete prior to the launch, contributing to software malfunctions, service interruptions, extended wait times, and appointment delays at various branches. Even today, the anticipated benefits of this digital transformation remain elusive, with online services still facing challenges.
Timeline of Events Leading to the Crisis
The CASA program aimed for deployment by Christmas 2022 to minimize disruption during the holiday season. However, management learned of delays in integrated testing by November 2022, prompting a postponement to February 2023. Despite being informed that all indicators were green, an assessment on January 17 revealed several unmet criteria for launch.
Despite warnings about unresolved issues, SAAQclic was launched on February 13, 2023, with significant criteria still incomplete. This lack of transparency created confusion regarding the SAAQ’s readiness for the transition, as noted by the Auditor General.
Concerns About Oversight and Conflicts of Interest
The Auditor General’s report raises questions about oversight and potential conflicts of interest in awarding contracts for the CASA project. SAP, a key contractor, provided advisory services before the tender process began, subsequently securing the software provider contract.
Due to the problematic implementation of SAAQclic, the deficit for the Société de l’assurance automobile has reportedly increased by $90 million, with concerns that data for 2023 may be inaccurate.