Overview

• The premier said he learned of roughly $500 million in overruns only in February, when the auditor general put the platform’s total cost above $1.1 billion.
• He assigned primary responsibility to the auto insurer’s leadership and noted transport ministers were not clearly told, as CEO Éric Ducharme was dismissed in July.
• Earlier testimony indicated the premier’s office was alerted to risk as early as 2020 and that top civil servant Yves Ouellet was told of a $222‑million shortfall in 2022.
• Legault’s chief of staff, Martin Koskinen, testified that the SAAQ buried critical financial warnings in documents rather than flagging them plainly, with Ouellet expected to testify next.
• Opposition leaders challenged Legault’s version and urged stronger oversight, as a separate anti‑corruption probe has reportedly identified four suspects linked to SAAQclic.