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Legault Called to Testify Before Public Inquiry Into SAAQclic Scandal
The Gallant commission investigates a $500 million overrun and transparency issues in the SAAQclic project, with Premier Legault potentially called to testify.
- Quebec Premier François Legault is expected to appear next Tuesday before the Gallant Commission as part of the public inquiry into the SAAQclic cost overrun controversy.
- The inquiry focuses on the creation of SAAQclic, a digital platform for Quebec's automobile insurance board, which faced at least $500 million in cost overruns largely due to governance issues and a 2014 decree adopted under the PQ government.
- Testimonies from ministers, including Geneviève Guilbault, François Bonnardel, Éric Caire, and Christian Dubé, as well as the Treasury Board reports, have revealed delayed deployment, a $142 million budget increase, and difficulties in monitoring project costs.
- In February 2025, Quebec’s auditor general disclosed that the cost of the SAAQ project exceeded $1 billion, surpassing initial estimates by approximately half a billion dollars. In 2022, Yves Ouellet was notified of a $222 million funding gap, while Premier Legault has assured full cooperation if called to provide testimony.
- The inquiry's findings could affect provincial accountability standards, as the SAAQ was exempt from some controls and earlier reform attempts failed, highlighting ongoing challenges in public project oversight.
25 Articles
25 Articles
canadianunderwriter.ca
Quebec premier to testify at inquiry into $500M cost overrun scandal at auto board
Quebec Premier François Legault speaks to the media during the meetings of Canada’s premiers in Huntsville, Ont., on Tuesday, July 22, 2025. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Nathan Denette MONTREAL, Que. – Quebec Premier François Legault has been called to testify at the public inquiry into the cost overrun scandal at the province’s auto insurance board. Legault’s office and the Gallant Commission confirmed the premier will appear Sept. 2 at the inquiry, whic…
The Gallant commission "considers" to have François Legault testify on this fiasco.
François Legault's government may have underestimated the information that circulated around its elected officials about the SAAQclic fiasco.
False information on the total cost of the project was provided to the Prime Minister's office in March 2023, when it was known that the budget would be exceeded.
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