The Quebec Ombudsman has raised concerns once more regarding the ongoing issues stemming from the Société de l’assurance automobile du Québec’s (SAAQ) digital transformation. Despite a decrease in complaints from the previous year, there is still a significant volume of grievances.
During the presentation of the 2024-2025 annual report to the National Assembly on Thursday, Marc-André Dowd emphasized that progress following the digital revamp has not been as smooth as expected. The report highlighted that the technological shift continues to pose challenges, preventing citizens from accessing the services they require effectively.
In the past year alone, the Quebec Ombudsman received a total of 569 complaints related to the SAAQ, with 30 per cent of those complaints being validated. Overall, there was a notable surge in the number of complaints handled by Dowd’s office, reaching a record-breaking 28,210 across various categories.
One standout case involved the SAAQ erroneously debiting a citizen’s account for a vehicle she no longer owned. Despite her attempts to rectify the situation by contacting the SAAQ multiple times, the issue persisted. Seeking assistance, the citizen turned to the Quebec Ombudsman, who intervened and successfully resolved the matter by canceling the outstanding payments and associated fees.
