Karl Malenfant, who was appointed in 2013, caught former CEO of the Société de l’assurance automobile du Québec (SAAQ), Nathalie Tremblay, off guard with his past issues at Hydro-Québec. Tremblay revealed this during her statement on Monday at the ongoing Gallant Commission inquiry into the SAAQclic controversy. She mentioned that no concerns were raised to her attention regarding Malenfant’s history.
Tremblay’s testimony carries significant weight as she led the SAAQ as its CEO from 2010 to 2022. She departed just before the problematic launch of SAAQclic, leading to long queues outside branches in the winter of 2023.
In a February 2025 report, Quebec’s auditor general highlighted that the SAAQ’s digital transformation is forecasted to incur a minimum cost of $1.1 billion by 2027, exceeding the initial estimate by $500 million.
Various witnesses indicated that prior to Malenfant assuming the role of Vice President of Information Technology at the SAAQ, he faced challenges with a digital project at Hydro-Québec. However, Tremblay asserted during her testimony that she was unaware of these issues, as they were not disclosed by the headhunter who recommended Malenfant to her.
The Gallant Commission’s proceedings continue in Quebec City this week. The upcoming testimonies of Tremblay and Malenfant are eagerly anticipated.
