SAAQ resuming services after downed computer server closed branches, online services

Quebec's auto insurance board says it is resuming services, hours after it was forced to close offices and its online portal due to a computer system breakdown.

TheSocit de l'assurance automobile du Qubec(SAAQ) posted on X shortly after 12:30 p.m., saying a "server failure" had caused the breakdown.

"We are sorry for the inconvenience and thank our customers and partners for understanding," the SAAQ wrote.

The outage appeared unrelated to woes that have beset the insurance board's newly revamped online portal, SAAQclic.

The portal, launched last winter, had a chaotic rolloutcausingcomputer glitches, administrative errors, snaking queues and long delays.

Last month, Quebec's auditor general announced it would be conducting an audit into SAAQclic as a result of the issues it had caused.