Transport and Sustainable Mobility Minister Geneviève Guilbault was confronted on Friday with documents showing that her office received information as early as 2023 about cost overruns related to the SAAQclic platform.
Guilbault gave her version of events during the Gallant Commission, which is investigating the failed digital transformation of Quebec’s automobile insurance agency, the Société de l’assurance automobile du Québec (SAAQ).
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When asked what information she received upon taking office at the Ministry of Transport, the CAQ-elected official stated that she only became aware of the cost overruns related to SAAQ’s IT modernization in February of this year, through the report from the Auditor General of Quebec (VGQ).
Earlier on Friday, both current and former staff members from her office said the same.
However, emails presented during her testimony showed that documents referencing an increase in the cost of the contract with the consortium were sent to Guilbault’s office in 2023, after the botched launch of SAAQclic.
One such document, concerning the contractual strategy for the IT modernization project named CASA, was provided in June 2023. It outlined an “amendment” signed in November 2022 worth $45.7 million, as well as another upcoming amendment that would significantly increase the total cost beyond the initial $458 million contract.
Guilbault acknowledged that this information had been communicated to her office and to herself. She initially said she did not recall reviewing the document or having any discussions about it with the SAAQ.
However, Commission lawyer Vincent Ranger and Commissioner Denis Gallant pressed her on the fact that the document was on the agenda for a June 20, 2023, meeting with former SAAQ CEO Éric Ducharme.
The minister eventually admitted that she had been made aware of the information.
“This was the first time an SAAQ CEO gave me a document that clearly stated the infamous $458 million. And he mentioned an amendment that, as we can see, was signed in November 2022—yet the previous CEO never thought it necessary to inform us. And another amendment was imminent,” she stated.
“But no one told me this to raise a red flag or say, ‘Watch out, there are cost overruns or problems,’” she added.
On Friday morning, former chief of staff Geneviève Cantin also admitted having reviewed the contractual strategy during the summer of 2023.
“I just want to be clear—these are not cost overruns. These are amendments. (…) When I look at this, it’s part of the contractual strategy. Amendments are part of the contract,” she said, attempting to clarify.
This statement drew a strong reaction from Commissioner Gallant.
“The lawyer in me sees an additional $45 million as a cost overrun—unless I’m mistaken,” he pointed out.
Cantin argued that she didn’t have that understanding of what the amendments implied, and said she was managing a crisis at the time due to the chaotic rollout of SAAQclic, which led to long lineups at service centers.
The contractual strategy was also emailed at least twice to political advisor Dave Gravel. He stated that while he did receive the document, “no one” explained the contractual strategy to him or what the amendments entailed.
He told the commission that the emails arrived while he was on vacation. Upon returning, he had many emails to go through and would have expected to be alerted about an issue of such importance.
“We get information that’s buried in emails. (…) I think it would’ve been only normal to schedule a meeting to go over these matters in detail,” said Mr. Gravel, who testified via videoconference from outside the country.
According to the Auditor General of Quebec, the SAAQ’s IT project is now expected to cost at least $1.1 billion—$500 million more than initially planned.
–This report by La Presse Canadienne was translated by CityNews
