SAAQ hit with widespread computer outage

A screenshot of the SAAQclic website on Tuesday, May 6, 2025. (Joe Lofaro/CTV News)

Quebec’s automobile insurance board is experiencing a widespread computer outage on Tuesday affecting its services online and at points of service.

Users who visit the Société de l’assurance automobile du Québec (SAAQ) online portal known as SAAQclic are greeted with a “computer system failure” message.

“Our teams are working to rectify the situation as quickly as possible and SAAQclic will be back shortly. Thank you for your understanding,” the message reads.

The SAAQ website didn’t say when services would be back online. It alerted the public to the system outage on social media shortly after 4 p.m.

“We’re confident that when the offices open (on Wednesday), everything will be up and running again,” said SAAQ spokesperson Gino Desrosiers in an interview with The Canadian Press.

He added that the SAAQ will try to reschedule appointments that were affected by the outage.

The outage comes as a public commission is in the middle of investigating the insurance board’s botched rollout of SAAQclic in 2023 that was plagued with problems and cost overruns of at least $500 million, for a total cost of $1.1 billion.

The glitches resulted in long lineups of people out in the cold outside service branches to carry out take road tests, register vehicles, and renew driver’s licences.

Quebec’s cybersecurity and digital technology minster, Éric Caire, resigned on Feb, 27, 2025, amid the fallout of the SAAQclic debacle.

With files from The Canadian Press