SSQ Insurance was headquartered in Quebec City, with offices in Longueuil, Calgary, Halifax, Vancouver and Toronto.

[7] At the beginning of the 1940s, Dr. Jacques Tremblay out of concern for social justice took up the cause of Quebec City's working class, who could not afford adequate medical care.

On May 9, 1944, Dr. Tremblay founded the Coopérative de santé du Québec, which provided needed medical care to members.

In 1945, the cooperative changed its name to Les Services de Santé du Québec, hence inspiration for the later SSQ.

As early as 1955, to diversify its products and pursue its growth objectives, the cooperative changed status to become a mutual aid company specialized in group insurance.

At the end of the 1960s, its products and services were diversified to meet the public's needs: additional annuity plans; dental, vision and chiropractic care; and prescription drug insurance.

In 1992, following the global real estate crisis and significant losses, the Fonds de solidarité FTQ became SSQ's principal shareholder, helping the company to quickly get back on its feet.

To reflect its sustained growth and broadening scope, the company changed its name to SSQ Financial Group in 2001, and the Canadian venture continued with new offices opening in Toronto in 2002.

[10] The transaction added products and services to SSQ's offering, in addition to rebalancing the company's internal organization and positioning it within the Canadian market.