Quebec minister Éric Caire resigns over SAAQclic scandal
Posted February 27, 2025 1:45 pm.
Last Updated February 27, 2025 5:38 pm.
A long-serving minister in Quebec’s Coalition Avenir Québec government has resigned amid a scandal over at least half a billion dollars in cost overruns related to the auto insurance board’s online platform.
Cybersecurity and Digital Technology Minister Éric Caire made the announcement Thursday on social media, calling the controversy surrounding the digital transformation of the Société de l’assurance automobile du Québec (SAAQ) “totally unacceptable.”
“The totally unacceptable situation that occurred in the context of the digital transformation project at the SAAQ, as described by the Auditor General of Quebec, has sparked controversy over my role in this whole affair,” Caire wrote on X Thursday afternoon.
“Even though I assumed my responsibilities as minister in this matter and have nothing to reproach myself for, except for not having been suspicious enough, I have come to the conclusion that it had become a distraction that was harming my government and my premier. I have therefore offered him my resignation as Minister of Cybersecurity and Digital Affairs.
“I would like to thank my premier for the trust he has placed in me.”
Earlier Thursday, Caire defended himself while being hounded by the Opposition parties during question period. He stated he had no intention of resigning and that he even planned to run again in 2026.
“In the document that was presented to me, (…) there is no mention of cost overruns. There is no mention of a project that is off the rails, in any way,” he declared in the National Assembly.
The resignation follows an explosive report last week by the province’s auditor general that revealed cost overruns of at least $500 million in the creation of the online platform, for a total cost of more than $1.1 billion.
On Thursday, news reports alleged Caire had helped the auto insurance board hide the rising cost from the public. Caire denied the reports.
Quebec Premier François Legault, who had previously defended his minister, told reporters Thursday that Caire chose to resign. “I’m going to get to the bottom of things,” he said. “I have absolutely nothing to hide.”
He said he will name Caire’s replacement in a matter of days.
The auto insurance board thought it would save hundreds of millions of dollars with the new online portal, SAAQclic. But auditor Guylaine Leclerc found that two years after it was implemented, it takes longer to deliver services and the cost is higher than with the previous system.
The botched 2023 rollout of the online platform led to major delays and long lineups at SAAQ branches, where Quebecers take road tests, register vehicles, and access other services.
The auditor also found that the auto insurance board chose to mask $222 million in cost overruns to avoid “media and political risk.”
In response, Caire and other Quebec ministers claimed they had been unaware of the cost overruns and accused the SAAQ of lying to them. Earlier this week, the government asked the province’s financial watchdog — Autorités des marchés publics — and the anti-corruption police to investigate the matter.
Still, Caire has faced mounting pressure to resign over the last week. On Thursday, news reports claimed he had known about the spiralling costs and had helped the auto insurance board hide the $222-million overrun.
After Caire’s resignation, Quebec’s opposition parties reiterated their demand for a public inquiry to shed more light on the affair. “Just because they’ve sacrificed Mr. Caire today, that doesn’t mean there is no more problem,” Liberal House leader Monsef Derraji told reporters in Quebec City.
“It’s not over,” said Québec solidaire co-spokesperson Ruba Ghazal. “This is the beginning of the story.”
Legault said he doesn’t think a public inquiry is necessary. “I don’t think there’s corruption,” he said. Still, he left the door open to further investigation, saying he’s going to “shine light” on the matter.
Caire “was caught red-handed,” said interim leader of the Quebec Liberal Party (PLQ), Marc Tanguay, at a press briefing on Thursday, calling for the minister’s resignation.
“This morning, one thing is certain: it’s bye bye Sheriff Éric Caire,” he said. The PLQ is also calling for the heads of Transport Minister Geneviève Guilbault and her predecessor François Bonnardel.
While some CAQ MNAs interviewed Thursday reaffirmed their support for Caire, others expressed unease. “Team cohesion, but…”, Beauce-Sud MNA Samuel Poulin suggested.
“He’s the minister, let him manage his own affairs,” added his Beauce-Nord colleague Luc Provençal.
“We had a good caucus last night,” was all the government whip Mario Laframboise said. “Éric Caire is a colleague I really like,” said Infrastructure Minister Jonatan Julien.
Tanguay took the opportunity to highlight the absence of Premier François Legault, who chose to spend the day in La Tuque, in Mauricie. According to him, Legault is “shirk[ing] responsibility” by choosing to “run away to La Tuque” instead of answering questions.
Rodrigue resigns
Meanwhile, Sonia LeBel, President of the province’s Treasury Board and former prosecutor for the Charbonneau commission, announced that she had removed Pierre E. Rodrigue, former deputy minister under Caire, from the presidency of the Office des professions du Québec.
Rodrigue had just been named president of the Office the day before. “It’s important that we have people at the head of this institution who work there and don’t raise any questions,” she explained in the National Assembly.
She added that it was Rodrigue himself who had informed her in a letter of his intention to resign.
Noting Rodrigue’s departure, Tanguay asked if “what’s good for dog is good for the cat”, in reference to Éric Caire.
“The cause of the Minister of Cybersecurity and Digital is heard. All eyes are now on the Prime Minister. It’s a question of his judgment,” added Parti québécois (PQ) MP Pascal Bérubé.
Québec solidaire and the PQ are calling for a public inquiry; the Liberals said Thursday they were “open” to such a commission. While in opposition in 2015, Caire himself called for a public inquiry into IT contracts.
–With files from La Presse Canadienne
