Pre-budget consultations
The RCCAQ's representatives met with officials from Quebec's Finance Ministry and finance minister Eric Girard's office on February 5 in connection with the provincial government's pre-budget consultations. During the meeting, the RCCAQ put forward a number of its key priorities. To mark the occasion, we also submitted a position paper (French only) containing nine recommendations aimed at relaunching Quebec's economy and supporting further development of the insurance brokerage sector.
The RCCAQ 's proposals received a warm welcome. A number of our requests followed on from points we had made in previous years. However, given the significant economic changes that have occurred over the past 12 months, we had to tailor our proposals to the new realities that Quebecers face.
Update on the labour shortage
Workforce issues are still a top priority for RCCAQ members, although the situation began to change for the better in 2020. Firms are still looking for qualified candidates, while the pandemic has created a new pool of available workers. We therefore asked the government to keep on developing training and retraining programs. Insurance brokerages offer opportunities to people with the right qualifications, so this is a good way to swiftly match up Quebecers with high-quality jobs.
Stronger action to facilitate the digital transition
The second topic we addressed in our meeting with Quebec government officials was technological innovation. In last fall's RCCAQ member survey, we confirmed that this is a priority for the vast majority of brokers. Due to the pandemic, we need to take stronger action to facilitate the digital transition and to fast-track digitization initiatives.
We therefore called on the government to support brokerage firms undertaking such projects. Even before the public health emergency, the RCCAQ had been lobbying for years for some form of financial support for brokerage firms' transformation initiatives. In this regard, the RCCAQ's technology committee is working to identify priority action areas and to provide members with a "road map", which will then be submitted to the provincial government with a view to providing financial support.
Needless to say, during our discussions on service digitization, we reiterated the importance of cybersecurity and personal data protection. We also need a set of clear standards, particularly through the Bill 64 legislative process. In the RCCAQ's view, government service providers should be systematically required to have cybersecurity insurance coverage in place.
Commercial insurance: seeking solutions
Another issue raised during our discussions was that of commercial insurance. Over the past year, we watched the situation deteriorate. We therefore reiterated our past request to create a discussion forum with a view to having all sector stakeholders around the same table to exchange ideas and find viable solutions for business and consumers. Our discussions with the Finance Ministry are ongoing in this regard. The issue of commercial insurance will be a top priority when the discussion forum eventually convenes.
Insurance distribution by auto dealerships: exceptional provisions need to be reviewed
In conclusion, we tackled the issue of replacement insurance distribution by auto dealerships. The RCCAQ has sought to raise awareness of this issue among officials at the Consumer Protection Office (OPC) and the AMF over the past year. Our hope was that the Finance Ministry would also take up this issue, in which consumers are clearly getting the short end of the stick. Now we know that our concerns are shared, we will be closely monitoring future developments.
During our latest meeting with Quebec government officials, the RCCAQ presented some key information and promoted brokers' role in our economic recovery. We will continue to meet with government representatives and will keep our members updated on all these issues.
