The suspension of a large part of the Société de l’assurance automobile du Québec (SAAQ) services has caused serious problems for many users over the past few days. And you will have to get used to it: the situation must last until February 20, to allow the organization to transition to a new system.
To implement its new “SAAQClic” platform, which will be “easier to use,” the company claims it has to “transform more than 10 billion pieces of data,” which will result in a transition period during which customers can access a limited number of services. This period began last Friday at 5pm and should last until February 19th inclusive.
Until then, “only some services considered essential will be accessed,” says company spokeswoman Anne-Marie Dussault-Turcotte. Among them: checking the validity of the license, replacing a lost or stolen license, exchanging a foreign license, checking road vehicle conformity, booking practical driving tests, paying driver’s license renewal or registration fees.
But above all, this transfer marks the first test for Quebec City. The new SAAQ platform will be integrated into the government documentation service, which the government wants to implement gradually over the next few years to allow users to interact with all departments in the same place, in a secure way.
Ultimately, this service should replace clicSÉQUR. The Legault government plans to integrate several other ministerial bodies into it in 2023. In other words, other transformations will inevitably occur this year.
The repercussions are very real
On the Internet, people have lamented that in recent days they have encountered services that are “too busy” to take any action. Others lamented that the transitional period was so long, even seeing it as “a sign of the incompetence of the new system to be implemented.” One reader also reports having a power of attorney on hand for the purchase of a snowmobile, which will expire before the end of the transition period. However, this prevents him from moving on.
Via email, the SAAQ says it is “aware of the repercussions of the slowdown [sa] provision of services will be on [sa] customer base”. However, “this is a necessary step to provide services that are better adapted to today’s realities,” insists the spokesperson, thanking users for their “patience, which helps us implement this project.
In mid-January, SAAQ CEO Dennis Marsoulais spoke of this transition period as an “important step” for his organization. And the shift will ultimately represent, he says, “a huge improvement in the service offering.” In particular, he promised: “Our customers will enjoy more independence, save time and have access to simplified online transactions.”
The new “SAAQClic” platform should make it possible to process administrative requests that until now had to go through a physical office, with the aim of reducing waiting times and delays between requests.
“Music guru. Incurable web practitioner. Thinker. Lifelong zombie junkie. Tv buff. Typical organizer. Evil beer scholar.”
