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Some Ontarians still waiting for social assistance payments

There are still Ontarians waiting for social-assistance payments this month, despite assurances from the provincial government that all problems with a new computer system have been dealt with.

Chelsea Mohler should have received $800 in disability support on the last weekday of last month. She has reported the issue to her caseworker and checked her account every day, but the money still hasn't arrived.

"Things like rent and you know, food, are needing to be purchased, so it gets a little bit tricky," she told CBC News in an interview.

The province's new Social Assistance Management System sent out millions of dollars in payments by mistake. The system itself cost more than $200 million to implement.

On Monday, the government said overpayments were the only problem and no one was short-changed by computer error.

"That is not true, definitely not true," said Mohler. "I definitely was one of those who did not receive things."

Mohler disagreed with the characterization of the problem as a minor glitch.

"I think there's a big difference between little, routine glitches and not getting an entire cheque," she said.

In the legislature, Community and Social Services Minister Helena Jaczek said: "We still are finding it very difficult to validate some of the anecdotes that we're hearing and have been printed in the media."