Extensions, changes to in-person services: Here are the new SAAQ measures

Following days of long lineups and headaches, Quebec's automobile insurance board (SAAQ) is rolling out new measures to reduce wait times at service centres.

The province also announced a new temporary measure to allow Quebecers to renew their health cards via the mail without going to a SAAQ service centre. 

The changes announced Wednesday are meant to mitigate a massive backlog caused by a computer glitch during the launch of the SAAQ's new online platform.

Quebec Transport Minister Geneviève Guilbault says the plan includes the following changes:

LICENCE AND CERTIFICATE EXTENSIONS

• The validity period of driver's licences scheduled to expire between March 9 and June 1, 2023, is being extended. As a result, the period for paying the amounts due will be extended to a maximum of 90 days from the licence holder's birthday.
• The validity of driver's licences that expired between Jan. 26 and March 9 is being extended to June 1.  
• The validity period for temporary registration certificates issued between March 9 and April 8, 2023, will be extended from 10 to 60 days.
• The validity of foreign driver's licences will be maintained until Aug. 29, 2023.

CHANGES TO IN-PERSON SERVICES

The following measures have been in place since March 6:

• 150 additional employees have been assigned to busy SAAQ branches.
• Service centres have extended their hours and started offering weekend appointments.
• The daily capacity of each service centre is posted on the SAAQ website.
• Self-service digital kiosks have been added in some branches.

The following measures will be in place as of March 13:

• The authentication process will be simplified in seven SAAQ branches: two pieces of identification will be required instead of four.
• It will be possible to obtain a notice of assessment number by telephone instead of mail to make it easier to create a SAAQclic account.

RENEWING HEALTH CARDS

The province announced a new temporary measure Wednesday that will allow residents to mail in forms to receive a new Régie de l’assurance maladie du Québec (RAMQ) card. Previously, residents needed to fill out the form and provide a new photo to renew their health cards at a SAAQ centre.

"You do not need to provide a photo: we will use the previous photo available on file," the health insurance board announced in a news release.

More information on how to renew a health card is available on the government's website.

SAAQ ONLINE PORTAL

SAAQclic launched on Feb. 20, allowing Quebecers to access services online. Among the new services now offered online are the following:

• Driver's licence replacement and cancellation
• Licence plate replacement
• Vehicle registration and ownership inquiries
• Demerit points, penalties and offences lookup
• Information about driving record
• Vehicle sale or transfer

All services can be found here.

The SAAQ is encouraging drivers to check its FAQ page before calling or making an appointment.

With files from CTV's Daniel J. Rowe and Joe Lofaro