MONTREAL – Former Société de l’assurance automobile du Québec (SAAQ) technology executive Karl Malenfant publicly defended his role in the troubled SAAQclic modernization project Wednesday, alleging a deliberate campaign to damage his reputation ahead of the release of the Gallant Commission’s final report. Malenfant presented journalists with a substantial collection of documents, including a 112-page rebuttal of anticipated findings, claiming the project’s cost has been falsely inflated.
Malenfant, who served as vice-president of information technology and director of the project, asserted he has been the target of a “character assassination” orchestrated by an unnamed information technology firm and public relations company. He stated he has provided emails from an anonymous whistleblower detailing the alleged smear campaign to Commissioner Denis Gallant for consideration in the report, though he declined to make the emails public. “For me, it’s the most plausible hypothesis to explain what I’ve been through,” Malenfant said, stopping short of explicitly claiming a conspiracy.
The former SAAQ executive’s preemptive defense comes just days before the Gallant Commission is scheduled to deliver its report to the Quebec government on Friday, February 16th. Malenfant revealed he has received 48 pre-blame notices from the commission, indicating potential findings of fault. He vehemently denied these accusations, stating, “I have always acted in quality faith.”
Central to Malenfant’s defense is a challenge to the widely reported cost of the SAAQclic project. He argued that the figure of over $1.1 billion, which includes both production and operational costs, is misleading. “It’s false to say that the project will ultimately cost more than $1.1 billion,” he stated, adding that such accounting practices are not standard within the Quebec government. He urged journalists to refrain from using the term “fiasco” to describe the project.
According to a document filed with the Gallant Commission in March 2025, the project had already reached $916 million, nearing the amount projected in a report by the Quebec Auditor General. The document, prepared by Élodie Hudon-Chabot, responsible for financial monitoring of the CASA project, indicated that costs for operation and evolution of the solution would reach $1.08 billion. This figure did not include a planned “Delivery 3” phase, estimated at $65 million by the Auditor General. The original estimated cost of the digital transformation was $638 million.
Malenfant’s public appearance follows his testimony before the Gallant Commission last fall, where he expressed feeling “radioactive” in the wake of the project’s difficulties. He retired in January 2024. The commission’s report is expected to shed further light on the challenges and cost overruns associated with the SAAQclic modernization effort.
