The Quebec government has seen a significant rise in outsourcing for information technology (IT) services, leading to staff losses within the Ministry of Cybersecurity and Digital Affairs (MCN) and other departments. The Quebec Public and Parapublic Service Union (SPFQ) highlighted this issue during the Gallant Commission’s investigation into the SAAQclic project.
According to SPFQ, IT service contracts in the Quebec government increased from $1.3 billion in 2018-2019 to $2.1 billion in 2023-2024, while the number of IT staff employed by the public service decreased by 8.8% between Sept. 2024 and Sept. 2025. The MCN experienced a 1.8% staff reduction, and the Société de l’assurance automobile du Québec (SAAQ) saw a 5% decrease in the same period.
The union reported that external IT resources now occupy approximately 78% of technical and office staff positions in the Quebec public service, with the percentage rising to 86% at the MCN. SPFQ President Christian Daigle criticized the government’s reliance on subcontracting, leading to increased costs for taxpayers.
Additionally, Quebec’s Lobbying Commissioner, Jean-François Routhier, called for reforms to the Lobbying Transparency and Ethics Act after analyzing lobbying activities related to the SAAQ’s IT program. Routhier highlighted a lack of transparency and the need for citizen access to lobbying information.
The Legault government has granted an extension for the Gallant Commission to submit its final report, now due by Feb. 13, 2026. The commission, investigating the SAAQclic project’s failures, will conclude its public hearings this week.
