SAAQclic: Cost risks identified in 2018 by a finance team

A finance department of the Société de l’assurance automobile du Québec (SAAQ) had identified possible risks that could lead to cost overruns from the start of the digital transformation.

This was revealed Monday before the Gallant Commission. The public inquiry into the SAAQclic fiasco heard from a former manager of the SAAQ’s finance department, Francine Lépinay. 

In 2018, his team prepared a plan identifying risks and control measures related to the contract for the IT project called CASA. 

This document was presented to the management committee of the state-owned company and was intended to help avoid blind spots during the project. 

The document had “clearly identified” all the possible risks that ultimately materialized on the budgetary level, analyzed the prosecutor of the commission of inquiry, Marie-Claude Sarrazin. 

“But was the SAAQ’s organizational control team able to implement the control measures provided for in the plan?” asked Sarrazin. 

Lépinay testified, in particular, that her department was informed of contract adjustments only after the fact. The project office had a great deal of autonomy, said the former director of finance and then vice-president of finance, before retiring in October 2024.

“Cost tracking was done at the project office level. When we requested information, we were given it, and then, when there were accountability reports, we received the documentation. We didn’t have any difficulty, but we often received it a little late,” said Lépinay.  

Sazarrin pointed out to him that this situation could prevent him from taking action to “avoid expenses, avoid inappropriate money transfers or hourly rate billings that do not comply with the contract.” 

Lépinay argued that “feedback” could be given if errors were noted after the fact. 

She acknowledged, however, that such delays in obtaining information were not commonplace. “But the project was moving quickly,” she added. “Certainly, this type of analysis could have been deprioritized by the project team because it was moving quickly.”

“So it wasn’t prioritized. Or even seen as an irritant?” asked the prosecutor. “Perhaps,” replied Lépinay. 

“A troublemaker?” Sarrazin then asked. “Perhaps,” the former manager replied again. 

The technological modernization of the SAAQ, which includes the SAAQclic platform, should cost at least $1.1 billion, according to the Auditor General of Quebec, or at least $500 million more than the initial budget.

–This report by La Presse Canadienne was translated by CityNews