Testimony at the Gallant Commission on Friday shed new light on the cost overruns of the SAAQclic project, involving key figures such as Yves Ouellet, Vice President Marie-Ève Beaulieu, and former CEO Denis Marsolais. Conflicting accounts emerged regarding whether Ouellet was informed of the $222 million overruns in September 2022.
Denis Marsolais previously claimed that Ouellet was briefed on the overruns during a meeting, while Ouellet denied having knowledge of this at the time. Despite Premier François Legault stating he only learned of the overruns in February following the Auditor General’s report, Beaulieu testified that documents detailing the overruns and contractual strategies were indeed presented to Ouellet during the September meeting.
During the meeting, Ouellet expressed concerns about the project’s timeline and readiness for rollout, indicating the urgency of the situation. The documents included a “Contract Strategy” proposing two solutions for covering the shortfall: a lump sum amendment or incremental amendments as work progressed.
Ultimately, the board of directors approved the payment plan involving incremental amendments to avoid the legal obligation of disclosing the full cost overrun publicly. Beaulieu highlighted the risks associated with each option, emphasizing the high political and media risks involved in publicly disclosing the full $222 million shortfall.
Despite internal debates, the decision was made to move forward with incremental payments using different contractual mechanisms. Beaulieu stressed the importance of eventually making these amendments public, acknowledging the cumulative nature of the payments.
