New Brunswick’s Unclaimed Property Program has reunited New Brunswickers with more than $1.7 million in forgotten funds since launching its FundsFinderNB.ca website one year ago.
The website allows New Brunswickers to search for free to see if they have any unclaimed property. They simply enter a name in the search bar and the database generates a list of any matching unclaimed property reported to the program, which is administered by the Financial and Consumer Services Commission of New Brunswick.
“To date, we’ve had more than 60,000 people search the website for unclaimed property,” said Marissa Sollows, the Commission’s Director of Communications and Public Affairs. “That can be anything from money forgotten in a credit union account to a damage deposit that a tenant forgot to collect after moving out of an apartment.”
Most unclaimed property in New Brunswick ranges between $200 to $500, however, there are several cash properties worth more than $70,000 still waiting to be claimed. To date, the program has approved 364 claims, including $66,000 to an estate, making it the largest verified cash claim since FundsFinderNB.ca launched last October.
Currently, more than $33 million is available to claim through the program. That number is expected to grow following the program’s third reporting period -- when businesses must report and remit any monetary property considered unclaimed as of December 31, 2024. The reporting period runs from January 1 to March 31 every year.
“For those who searched their name and didn’t find anything the first time, they may want to do so again as new unclaimed property is continually added to the database as it is received,” Sollows said. “We encourage New Brunswickers to make a habit of checking FundsFinderNB.ca.”
To raise awareness about the program, the Commission will launch a campaign encouraging New Brunswickers to check FundsFinderNB.ca. More information about the program and how money becomes unclaimed can be found on the website.
Audio files of Marissa Sollows, the Commission’s Director of Communications and Public Affairs
The Financial and Consumer Services Commission of New Brunswick has the mandate to provide regulatory services that protect the public interest while enhancing public confidence, and to promote understanding of the regulated sectors through educational programs. It is responsible for the administration and enforcement of financial and consumers services legislation for mortgage brokers, payday lenders, real estate, securities, insurance, pensions, credit unions, trust and loan companies, cooperatives, the unclaimed property program, and a wide range of other consumer legislation. It is a Crown corporation funded by the regulatory fees and assessments paid by the regulated sectors. Online educational tools and resources are available at www.fcnb.ca.