Elodie Hudon-Chabot, an accountant working on the digital transformation project at Société de l’assurance automobile du Québec (SAAQ), expressed concern over the sudden increase in hourly rates to $350 for certain external resources at the beginning of the project. During her testimony at the Gallant Commission, she pointed out that the decision on rates was made by project managers, not her.
Hudon-Chabot clarified that her role was to review invoices for the SAAQclic project and not to approve them. She admitted feeling uneasy about the rate hike but stated that she followed the management decisions in place.
Marie-Claude Sarrazin, the prosecutor at the commission, highlighted the risks identified in SAAQ’s plan for the IT project CASA, where monitoring hourly rates was crucial. Hudon-Chabot was responsible for overseeing this aspect, as per the prosecutor.
The accountant defended herself against claims of not adhering to the plan, noting that it was implemented after the rate changes. While the $350/hour rate was part of the contract, she acknowledged a lack of clarity in the guidelines for its application.
Hudon-Chabot revealed that she raised concerns about the rate changes and was instructed to follow the decisions made by higher-ups. She expressed uncertainty about escalating the issue further.
Testimony during the commission hearings unveiled unauthorized hourly rate hikes for external resources from $82 to $350 in 2018, without proper justification. The lower rate was for technology integration roles, while the higher rate was attributed to specialized expertise.
