The former chief executive of Quebec's automobile insurance board will soon provide crucial testimony before a public inquiry examining one of the province's most significant digital service failures. Nathalie Tremblay, the ex-CEO of the Société de l'assurance automobile du Québec (SAAQ), is scheduled to speak before the Gallant commission on Monday, September 15, 2025.
A Commission Investigating a Major Digital Failure
The Gallant commission is a public inquiry specifically mandated to investigate the catastrophic launch and subsequent failure of the SAAQclic online portal. This platform was intended to modernize and streamline access to the SAAQ's services for millions of Quebec drivers. Instead, its rollout in early 2023 was plagued by massive technical glitches, interminable wait times, and system crashes, leading to widespread public outrage and significant service disruptions.
The commission, led by presiding authority Justice Gallant, has been holding hearings to uncover the root causes of the failure. These sessions aim to determine where the planning, procurement, and execution processes broke down. The inquiry is examining the roles of government officials, external contractors, and SAAQ leadership in the project.
Tremblay's Anticipated Testimony
Nathalie Tremblay's upcoming testimony is highly anticipated, as she led the SAAQ during the critical phases of the SAAQclic project's development and launch. Her insights are expected to shed light on the internal decision-making, oversight challenges, and the chain of events that led to the portal's problematic implementation.
The commission's hearing room in Montreal, equipped with monitors for presenting evidence, has been the setting for these detailed investigations since April 2025. Tremblay's appearance follows testimonies from other key figures, including IT contractors and government bureaucrats involved in the project's management.
Broader Implications for Public Digital Services
The SAAQclic failure has become a cautionary tale for large-scale government digital transformation projects across Canada. The inquiry's findings are expected to produce recommendations aimed at preventing similar debacles in the future. These will likely cover improved risk assessment, better contract management, and more robust testing protocols for public-facing IT systems.
The outcome of the Gallant commission could influence how provincial and federal agencies approach major technology upgrades, emphasizing accountability and user-centric design. For Quebecers, the testimony represents a step toward understanding a major service disruption and holding the responsible institutions to account.
