Quebec's political landscape was shaken on Thursday as Minister Éric Caire submitted his resignation from the provincial government. The move comes in direct response to a growing scandal involving the SAAQclic project and allegations that he authorized the splitting of a government contract to circumvent standard oversight procedures.
The Core of the Scandal: Contract Splitting Allegations
Reports surfaced detailing that Minister Caire, who held the portfolio for Government Digital Transformation, approved a plan to divide a single contract into smaller segments. This practice, known as contract splitting, is widely criticized as it allows projects to avoid the higher levels of scrutiny and competitive bidding required for larger-value contracts. The alleged actions took place in the period leading up to the 2022 provincial election, raising questions about the timing and intent behind the maneuver related to the SAAQclic platform development.
Immediate Political Fallout
The resignation was announced on February 27, 2025. By stepping down, Caire has become the first major casualty of the SAAQclic controversy, which has cast a shadow over the government's procurement practices. His departure was confirmed in the afternoon, following earlier reports by The Canadian Press. The scandal centers on the Société de l'assurance automobile du Québec (SAAQ) digital service platform, a major IT overhaul intended to modernize driver and vehicle services for Quebec citizens.
What Comes Next for Quebec's Digital Projects?
The resignation of a sitting minister over procurement irregularities signals significant political and administrative repercussions. It immediately triggers a cabinet shuffle, forcing the Premier to appoint a new minister to lead the digital transformation file. Furthermore, the incident is likely to prompt calls for increased transparency and stricter audits of government IT contracts. The opposition parties are expected to demand a full accounting of the SAAQclic project's contracting process and any other projects that may have employed similar tactics.
This event underscores ongoing challenges in public sector procurement and the intense scrutiny faced by government officials managing large-scale technological upgrades. The fallout from Minister Caire's resignation will likely dominate Quebec's political discourse in the coming weeks as investigations into the contract-splitting allegations proceed.
