The Ministry of Cybersecurity and Digital has recently allocated over $750,000 for consulting contracts, coinciding with the Auditor General’s report on SAAQclic challenges. Despite the surge in contracts, officials claim there’s no connection to the report. Concerns about internal expertise arise as reliance on external consultants increases. Recent expenditures also include a performance evaluation framework for Santé Québec and investments in media projects, alongside significant funding for pickleball court construction in Quebec.
Ministry of Cybersecurity and Digital Spending Surges
The Ministry of Cybersecurity and Digital has allocated over $750,000 towards consulting contracts after the Auditor General’s report highlighted the challenges surrounding SAAQclic. However, Quebec officials insist that this increase is merely a “coincidence.”
In the three weeks following the report’s release on February 20, the Ministry of Cybersecurity and Digital (MCN) has seen a surge in consulting contracts. Notably, there have been seven new contracts since February 25, compared to only two in January and approximately fifteen throughout all of 2024.
When questioned about this noticeable uptick, the ministry stated that the timing of these contracts “has no connection with the submission of the recent Auditor General’s report” and emphasized that “acquisition files were processed according to the usual preparation and authorization timelines prior to their conclusion.”
Change Management and Expertise Concerns
In essence, the ministry attributes this trend to coincidence. While it is true that many of these contracts are related to artificial intelligence and cybersecurity, a notable $132,500 contract was awarded to Edgenda for “change management” consultation.
Cybersecurity consultant Jacques Sauvé commented on the importance of this role, especially in the context of significant digital transformation projects. He recalled the challenges faced during the implementation of SAAQclic, particularly when the SAAQ had to close for three weeks in 2023 to facilitate its digital transition. “In the cybersecurity community, we observed that no private sector company would close for that long!” he remarked.
The increasing reliance on external consultants raises questions about the expertise available within the MCN. While the ministry asserts it has “the necessary resources and expertise to fulfill its mandates,” it also acknowledges that “some activities may require complementary high-level expertise.”
Jacques Sauvé concurs, noting that while there are skilled individuals within the ministry, the government should reconsider its bidding processes to encourage smaller companies to participate.
Moreover, several other expenditures have recently come to light, including a $118,000 framework for evaluating executives at Santé Québec. This contract involves Ernst & Young, which has been tasked with creating a performance evaluation framework essential for the new organization.
In another instance, Hydro-Québec invested $565,000 into producing a micro-series titled “No Energy to Waste” for TOU.TV, which has garnered over 463,000 views, surpassing initial expectations.
The SAQ, since 2021, has spent $123,000 on a podcast series about wine, with 37 episodes receiving an average of 524 listens each, costing approximately $6.32 per listen.
Lastly, the enthusiasm for pickleball in Quebec has led to significant spending, with $3.3 million spent last year on constructing and maintaining courts. In 2025 alone, $360,149 has already been allocated for new courts in Eastman, Bedford, and Montreal.