Technical glitch with Quebec’s auto board raises concerns for truckers

March 13, 2023

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As Quebec works to address a backlog of requests with the provincial automobile insurance board, concerns are mounting for some truckers.

On Feb. 20, the Société de l’assurance automobile du Québec introduced a new online service portal. The new website was designed to streamline certain transactions – like renewing licenses and paying registration – for SAAQ customers. However, users have had trouble accessing the new portal due to an authentication issue, which in turn has created a mountain of issues.

Quebec Transport Minister Geneviève Guilbault owned the mishap, telling reporters the preparation for the online portal’s launch was bungled.

“The planning work, as far as I’m concerned, was not well done, which means that we ended up with queues that no one seems to have anticipated, but there is also the communication aspect,” Guilbault said. “We probably did not do enough, and we are learning from that.”

As the board works to alleviate the issues caused by the technical snafu, Guilbault announced a number of measures aimed at reducing the backlog.

While the plan may placate some motorists in Quebec, it does little to address the concerns of truckers in the province.

Carriers who transport goods outside Quebec must be registered under the International Registration Plan – an agreement between Canadian provinces and U.S. states that distributes commercial vehicle registration fees based on the total distance traveled in each location. Additionally, the registration allows commercial vehicles to travel between participating provinces and states with a single license plate and registration document.

Truckers must renew their IRP each year. Given the current state of affairs at service centers across Quebec, many drivers could be affected come March 31, when a new round of registrations expire.

Francis Rouleau, executive director of the Association des routiers professionnels du Québec, said members of his group are worried they could face heavy fines if they travel outside the province without a renewal.

“As long as the problem persists at the board come April 1, we will probably have several drivers with road violations and fines who will be very upset, and it’s all due to a technical glitch,” Rouleau told The Canadian Press.

The SAAQ is doing what it can to calm those fears, saying Quebec drivers who receive tickets related to their license or vehicle registration will be able to submit a reimbursement request.

Guilbault added that the board is giving truckers and taxi drivers priority.

“Under no circumstance will I accept that a trucker cannot work from March 31 or April 1 because he was not able to get service,” she said.

In spite of this claim, Rouleau said his members have seen no evidence of a priority status.

“People that are showing up to the board with their paperwork for commercial transport have to wait in line like everyone else,” he said. “It is as if the message was not relayed to the security or staff.”

The Quebec Trucking Association will be meeting with Quebec Transport Minister Geneviève Guilbault and representatives from the SAAQ on March 13 in hopes of finding a solution to the current issues. Association CEO Marc Cadieux told Radio-Canada he’s hopeful they will find a solution and all the necessary trucking registrations can be renewed by the end of the month. LL