February 17th, 2026

Quebec auto board sorry for online platform boondoggle, aims to regain public trust

By Canadian Press on February 17, 2026.

QUÉBEC — Quebec’s automobile insurance board is apologizing over the botched rollout of its online platform and the hundreds of millions of dollars in cost overruns on the project.

The apology comes after a public inquiry concluded on Monday that auto board management hid the true cost of the platform from elected officials.

Quebec’s premier launched the inquiry following a February 2025 auditor general report that found the new platform was expected to cost taxpayers at least $1.1 billion by 2027 — $500 million more than originally planned.

The board says its failures have contributed to undermining the public’s confidence in their institutions, adding that the corporation will work to regain trust.

Serge Lamontagne, the president and CEO of the board since January, says the corporation will fully co-operate with the government in implementing the inquiry’s recommendations.

The inquiry didn’t spare politicians from blame, however, saying elected officials and certain public servants did, at various times, obtain reliable information about the problems at the auto board.

This report by The Canadian Press was first published Feb. 17, 2026.

The Canadian Press

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