Derraji calls for accountability amid $1.1 billion cost overrun
By William Crooks
Local Journalism Initiative
Liberal MNA for Nelligan, Monsef Derraji, is calling for accountability in the wake of the SAAQclic fiasco, which has allegedly cost Quebec taxpayers at least $1.1 billion. In a recent interview, Derraji criticized the handling of the project by the Coalition Avenir Québec (CAQ) government, highlighting mismanagement, lack of accountability, and misleading information provided to parliamentarians.
The SAAQclic system, part of the CASA program aimed at modernizing the Société de l’assurance automobile du Québec’s (SAAQ) computer systems, was initially budgeted at $638 million but has now ballooned to over $1.1 billion. Derraji emphasized that the true cost could be even higher as the estimate only reflects the state of the program up to 2022.
Unclear communication and political repercussions
According to Derraji, internal documents from 2022 revealed significant political and media risks associated with the project—risks known to the SAAQ’s board of directors but allegedly not communicated to the Minister of Transport. “How could the Minister of Transport have ignored this when an official board document explicitly stated that this approach would have direct political and media repercussions?” Derraji asked. He questioned the level of oversight and demanded clarity on whether the Minister requested detailed reports or met with the board to understand the situation fully.
Derraji attributed the issues to a combination of poor management, inadequate testing, and a failure to act on known risks. “As a member of the parliament, we received the wrong information,” Derraji stated, criticizing the communication between the SAAQ and the government.
