FREDERICTON – The province’s minister of social development says more than $500,000 in social assistance
overpayments have been recovered in the past year.

Madeleine Dube says about $14 million could be collected in all.

She says efforts should be made to repay any money that is owed, but her department will work with former social assistance recipients to ensure they are in a position to pay back the funds.

Last November, Finance Minister Blaine Higgs said there was a potential to collect $200 million from a variety of overdue accounts, targeting unpaid vehicle fines, court fines, social assistance overpayments and unpaid loans or bills for the Agriculture, Aquaculture and Fisheries Departments.