As I walked past the closed doors of the SAAQ service centre on René-Lévesque Boulevard this morning, a line of frustrated Montrealers stood checking their phones for updates. The scene has become increasingly familiar across our city over the past 24 hours.
The Société de l’assurance automobile du Québec (SAAQ) has confirmed that all service centres remain closed today following a major technical breakdown that began yesterday. The outage has affected all in-person services, leaving many citizens unable to complete essential transactions.
“I took the day off work for this appointment,” sighed Marie Tremblay, 42, who was hoping to renew her driver’s license. “Now I’ll have to reschedule, but who knows when the system will be back?”
According to SAAQ spokesperson Jean Laporte, the issue stems from a central server malfunction that has compromised their ability to access customer files and process transactions. “Our technical teams are working around the clock to resolve this situation,” Laporte told LCN today in a phone interview. “We understand the inconvenience this causes to Montrealers and all Quebecers.”
The SAAQ is directing customers to their website for updates on the situation, though many services remain unavailable online as well. The government agency has not provided a specific timeline for when operations might resume.
This disruption comes at a particularly busy time, with many Montrealers seeking end-of-month license renewals and vehicle registrations. The closure affects all services including driver’s examinations, license renewals, and vehicle registration.
For perspective on the impact, I spoke with transportation analyst Sophie Martineau, who noted this isn’t the first technical challenge for the agency. “The SAAQ has been working to modernize their systems, but this outage highlights the vulnerability of essential government services to technical failures,” she explained.
Outside the Décarie Boulevard location, I observed several commercial drivers visibly concerned about the closure’s impact on their livelihoods. Truck driver Pascal Gagnon explained his predicament: “I need to update my commercial license today. Every day I can’t drive means lost income.”
The SAAQ is encouraging people with urgent needs to call their customer service line, though many callers report long wait times. The Montreal police confirmed they are aware of the situation and will show flexibility regarding expired documents in the immediate term.
While waiting for service restoration, citizens with upcoming appointments are advised to verify their status before traveling to service centres. The SAAQ has promised that all appointments will be rescheduled without penalty once systems are restored.
This technical breakdown follows last year’s chaotic rollout of the SAAQ’s new online platform, which resulted in enormous wait times and public frustration. Many Montrealers I spoke with expressed concern about what they perceive as ongoing technical issues at the agency.
“C’est toujours quelque chose avec la SAAQ,” remarked Françoise Belanger, who had been waiting since 8 AM. “It’s always something with the SAAQ. First the online system doesn’t work, now the physical locations are closed.”
Montreal business groups have raised concerns about the economic impact of the outage. The Chamber of Commerce of Metropolitan Montreal noted that transportation disruptions can have significant ripple effects throughout the local economy.
As I left the Décarie Boulevard location around noon, the crowd had thinned somewhat, but several people remained, hoping for updates. The SAAQ has promised to provide more information by the end of the day regarding tomorrow’s operations.
For now, Montrealers must wait patiently as technicians work to restore this essential service. Updates on the situation can be found on the SAAQ’s official website and social media channels.
