Quebec is redistributing $1 billion from the province’s automobile insurance board to road accident victims.

On Wednesday, Transport Minister François Bonnardel tabled Bill 22, which amends the Automobile Insurance Act and the Highway Safety Code.

He said he wanted to “right a wrong of the past” and provide an income for people injured in accidents after they reach age of 68, so they can have a “decent retirement.”

It also gives people who suffered catastrophic injuries on Quebec roads an income based on workers’ average wages to compensate for the loss of career progression.

In addition, the amount provided for home care for a quadriplegic, for example, will increase from a maximum of $949 to a maximum of $1,500 per week.

 The funeral expenses benefit is increased to $7500, while the age criterion for the surviving spouse's benefit is eliminated.

The SAAQ has a surplus of $4.8 billion.

At a press conference, Bonnardel noted that the the Société de l'assurance automobile du Québec (SAAQ) will be putting more than $1.1 billion back into the pockets of the 6.4 million driver's licence holders this year and next.

“I am very proud to see that with the fund that is well capitalized, that we can give today a considerable amount to (24,000) accident victims," said the minister.

“They are not many, but they are important. This billion that we are going to give them retroactively and in the next few years, I think we owe them that," he added.

Bonnardel also took advantage of the bill to amend the Highway Safety Code.

It will make mandatory an electronic logging device (worth $300 to $600) that will replace the daily log that truckers must fill out to monitor their hours of work and rest.

There will also be zero alcohol for holders of a learner's permit who already have a licence in another class, such as a car driver who wants to get a motorcycle licence.

Finally, if the bill is passed, it will be possible to extend the duration of the mandatory use of an alcohol ignition interlock device if the criteria are not met.

- This report by The Canadian Press was first published in French on Feb. 9, 2022