Old Age Security Act

Marginal note:Return of benefit where recipient not entitled

• 37 (1) A person who has received or obtained by cheque or otherwise a benefit payment to which the person is not entitled, or a benefit payment in excess of the amount of the benefit payment to which the person is entitled, shall forthwith return the cheque or the amount of the benefit payment, or the excess amount, as the case may be.

• Marginal note:Recovery of amount of payment

  (2) If a person has received or obtained a benefit payment to which the person is not entitled, or a benefit payment in excess of the amount of the benefit payment to which the person is entitled, the amount of the benefit payment or the excess amount, as the case may be, constitutes a debt due to Her Majesty and is recoverable at any time in the Federal Court or any other court of competent jurisdiction or in any manner provided by this Act.

• Marginal note:Set-off

  (2.1) If any amount is or becomes payable to the person or to the person’s estate or succession under this Act or any other Act or program administered by the Minister, the amount of the debt may be deducted and retained out of the amount payable in the prescribed manner.

• Marginal note:Certificates

  (2.2) All or part of the debt that has not been recovered may be certified by the Minister

  • (a) without delay, if in the Minister’s opinion the person liable to pay the amount is attempting to avoid payment; and

  • (b) in any other case, on the expiration of 30 days after the default.

• Marginal note:Judgment

  (2.3) On production to the Federal Court, the certificate shall be registered in the Court. When it is registered, it has the same force and effect, and all proceedings may be taken, as if the certificate were a judgment obtained in the Court for a debt of the amount specified in the certificate.

• Marginal note:Judgment

  (2.4) A certificate registered under subsection (2.3) may also be registered in the superior court of a province as if it were a document evidencing a judgment of that court.

• Marginal note:Costs

  (2.5) All reasonable costs and charges for the registration of the certificate are recoverable in the same way as if they had been certified and the certificate registered under this section.

• Marginal note:Charge on land

  (2.6) A document issued by the Federal Court or by a superior court of a province evidencing a certificate in respect of a debtor registered under subsection (2.3) or (2.4) may be recorded for the purpose of creating security, or a charge, lien or legal hypothec, on land in a province, or on an interest in land in a province, held or owned by the debtor, in the same manner as a document evidencing a judgment of the superior court of the province against a person for a debt owing by the person may be recorded in accordance with the law of the province to create security, or a charge, lien or legal hypothec, on land, or an interest in land, held or owned by the person.

• Marginal note:Garnishment

  (2.7) If the Minister knows or suspects that a person is or is about to become indebted or liable to make a payment to a person liable to make a payment under subsection (1) or section 44.1, the Minister may, by a notice served personally or by confirmed delivery service, require the first person to pay the money otherwise payable to the second person in whole or in part to the Receiver General on account of the second person’s liability.

• Marginal note:Debt due to the Crown

  (2.8) An amount not paid as required by a notice under subsection (2.7) is a debt due to Her Majesty.

• Marginal note:Proof of personal service

  (2.9) If provision is made by this Act or the regulations for personal service of a request for information or a notice or demand, an affidavit of the person effecting service stating that

  • (a) the person has charge of the appropriate records and has knowledge of the facts in the particular case,

  • (b) such a request, notice or demand was served personally on a named day on the person to whom it was directed, and

  • (c) the person identifies as an exhibit attached to the affidavit a true copy of the request, notice or demand,

  is evidence of the personal service and of the request, notice or demand.

• (3) [Repealed, 1997, c. 40, s. 105]

• Marginal note:Remission of amount owing

  (4) Notwithstanding subsections (1), (2) and (3), where a person has received or obtained a benefit payment to which that person is not entitled or a benefit payment in excess of the amount of the benefit payment to which that person is entitled and the Minister is satisfied that

  • (a) the amount or excess of the benefit payment cannot be collected within the reasonably foreseeable future,

  • (b) the administrative costs of collecting the amount or excess of the benefit payment are likely to equal or exceed the amount to be collected,

  • (c) repayment of the amount or excess of the benefit payment would cause undue hardship to the debtor, or

  • (d) the amount or excess of the benefit payment is the result of erroneous advice or administrative error in the administration of this Act,

  the Minister may, unless that person has been convicted of an offence under any provision of this Act or of the Criminal Code in connection with the obtaining of the benefit payment, remit all or any portion of the amount or excess of the benefit payment.