Wellington County social services director Eddie Alton is hoping the county will be able to recoup much of its social services overpayments.
The Auditor General determined in December that $1.2-billion has been overpaid to welfare and other social services recipients.
Alton said Wellington County officials and others across the province are among those who are working with the province to fix the problem.
Auditor General Jim McCarter reported the overpayments and fraud in the province’s welfare and disability support programs.
He specifically expressed concern about how reliable is the software used by all of Ontario’s social service providers. Wellington County administers the Ontario Works programs for the county and Guelph.
The city is asking the Auditor General’s office to ensure accountability by the county and wants to ensure it is billed only for its citizens who use social services.
Alton said in an interview that to date the county has no idea how much overpayment was made, but he added there is legislation that allows the county to get it back.
He explained the county has the right to deduct overpayments from new cheques at a rate of 5%.
Alton added a committee has been set up to advise the ministry on how corrections are being done.
The city council has stated that it is crucial to have the place of origin of social services recipients correct.
Alton said the information is arriving constantly from the province now that the error has been found.
