STS: an action plan adopted and the report of the internal investigation soon to be submitted

The action plan adopted Monday during a regular meeting of the board of directors takes up each of the 70 recommendations of the auditor general relating to the governance, the management practices of the organization and the maintenance of the vehicles of the transportation.

The 13-page plan drawn up by the Saguenay Transport CompanySTStogether with its administrators, identifies the targeted means to respond to each of the recommendations, as well as the people in charge and the target deadlines.

The Saguenay Transport CompanySTS notably plans to entrust a specialized firm with carrying out its strategic planning, the absence of which had been identified as a major shortcoming by the Auditor General. Its adoption is expected in the first quarter of 2023.

The chairman of the board of directors of the STSSTSClaude Bouchard, ensures that a close follow-up of the action plan will be ensured by the administrators.

I think we have to reassure the population that in the coming months, in the coming years, we are going to be very, very vigilant with regard to this plan, with the rendering of accounts, to ensure that our plan, as and as the weeks and months progress, as the plan, it is put into execution explained Tuesday in an interview the one who was appointed president of the STS at the beginning of March.

Councilor Claude Bouchard is Chairman of the Board of Directors of the Société de transport du Saguenay.

Photo: Radio-Canada / Myriam Gauthier

Next busy weeks

The transport company, which manages a budget of 25 million dollars, of which about half comes from the coffers of Saguenay, intends to launch several projects during the next year.

Improving the accountability process, setting up a finance monitoring committee, designing a staffing plan or revising the planning and distribution of maintenance are some of them. Several objectives are linked to the entry into employment of personnel in human resources, accounting or even project management.

The majority of the objectives to be achieved have been set until the end of 2023, while some target 2024 and 2025, particularly with regard to the processes for controlling and evaluating the quality of vehicles.

Adjustments may be made. I think everyone is aware that a plan fits said Claude Bouchard.

Internal investigation: report soon to be submitted

The report of the internal investigation launched in the wake of the suspension with pay of the director general, Jean-Luc Roberge, shortly after the filing of the report of the auditor general, is also expected during the course of next week, specified Claude Bouchard, if all goes as hoped.

We hired a firm, because we want things to be done the right way, we want things to be done as professionally as possible, and we are very, very advanced right now. he said.

Raymond Chabot Grant Thornton was appointed by the Board of Directors in March to meet with a dozen stakeholders, including employees, elected officials and members of management.

The report will be submitted to the Chairman of the Board of Directors and to the lawyer from the firm Trivium, mandated in this file to accompany the directors who will have to decide on the future of Jean-Luc Roberge and on the ways to turn the organization around.

It is the lawyer responsible for the file who will bring us, at the level of the board of directors, the recommendations, according to what he will analyze, according to the data which will have been accumulated, detailed Claude Bouchard. He is the one who will recommend to us what is best to do versus this case.