The Ontario Trillium Benefit (OTB) is a tax-free payment from the Ontario government, paid by the Canada Revenue Agency (CRA), for people with low to moderate incomes. It combines three credits into one deposit, usually around the 10th of each month. There is no separate program to join: you get it by filing your tax return and the ON-BEN form each year.
The three parts of the OTB
You only need to qualify for one of these to get a payment. The amounts below are the maximums for July 2026 to June 2027, based on your 2025 tax return.
| Credit | What it helps with | Maximum per year | Where it starts to shrink |
|---|---|---|---|
| Ontario Sales Tax Credit (OSTC) | Sales tax you pay on everyday things | $378 for you, $378 for a spouse and $378 for each child under 19 | 4% of income over $29,047 (single, no children) or $36,309 (couples and single parents) |
| Ontario Energy and Property Tax Credit (OEPTC) | Rent or property tax, and sales tax on energy | $1,307 (age 18 to 64), $1,488 (seniors), $290 (reserve or public long-term care home), $25 (student residence) | 2% of income over $29,047 (single under 64, no children) or $36,309 (seniors and couples) |
| Northern Ontario Energy Credit (NOEC) | Higher home energy costs in the north | $189 single, $290 family | Use the CRA calculator for your amount |
The NOEC is only for people living in the districts of Algoma, Cochrane, Kenora, Manitoulin, Nipissing, Parry Sound, Rainy River, Sudbury, Thunder Bay or Timiskaming. If you live there, you can get the NOEC and the OEPTC together.
For the OEPTC, the CRA uses the senior amounts if you were 64 or older on December 31, 2025. Ontario describes this as the amount for people 65 or older.
How much you might get: three examples
Most people get less than the maximum. The OEPTC depends on how much rent or property tax you paid, and the CRA counts 20% of your rent as the property-tax part of it. These examples use the CRA’s 2026 calculation sheets and 2025 income. Your own result will differ, so use the CRA child and family benefits calculator for a real estimate.
| Who | 2025 income and housing | OEPTC | OSTC | Total OTB |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Single senior, age 70, renting | $20,000; rent $1,200 a month | $1,195.00 | $378.00 | $1,573.00 a year, about $131.08 a month |
| Single adult, age 45, on ODSP, renting | $16,000; rent $900 a month | $579.00 | $378.00 | $957.00 a year, about $79.75 a month |
| Couple under 64 with two children, renting | $45,000; rent $1,500 a month | $549.18 | $1,164.36 | $1,713.54 a year, about $142.80 a month |
In the first example, 20% of $14,400 in rent is $2,880. That gives the full $290 energy part plus $905 for the property-tax part. Income is under the $36,309 senior threshold, so nothing is taken off.
In the third example, the family’s income is $8,691 over the $36,309 family threshold. That cuts the OEPTC by 2% of $8,691 ($173.82) and the OSTC by 4% of it ($347.64).
A senior renter would need to pay roughly $2,420 a month in rent to reach the full $1,488 OEPTC. Homeowners count their property tax in full instead of 20% of rent.
How the payments work
- More than $500 a year: you get it monthly from July 2026 to June 2027, around the 10th. You can choose one single payment in June 2027 instead. The total is the same.
- $500 or less a year: you get it all at once in July 2026, then nothing until the next July. This is the most common reason people see one OTB deposit and then no more.
- Between $2 and $10: it is rounded up to $10. At $2 or less, no payment is made.
- Direct deposit or cheque: if your tax refund goes to your bank by direct deposit, your OTB does too. Otherwise a cheque is mailed.
The OTB is paid in its own deposit, separate from the Canada Groceries and Essentials Benefit (formerly the GST/HST credit). At many banks it shows as “Canada PRO”. Our Canada PRO deposit guide explains the label. The calendar at the top of this page shows your next date.
Who qualifies
For the energy and property tax credit, you need all of these:
- You lived in Ontario on December 31, 2025, and still live in Ontario on the 1st of the payment month.
- You are 18 or older, or have or had a spouse or common-law partner, or are a parent who lives or lived with your child.
- In 2025 you paid rent or property tax for your main home, or lived on a reserve and paid home energy costs, or paid for your room in a public long-term care home.
Rent counts. Most people qualify through rent. Your landlord must have been required to pay property tax on your home. If you live in subsidized housing, ask your landlord whether that applies to your unit.
For the sales tax credit, you need to be an Ontario resident and 19 or older, or have or had a spouse or common-law partner, or be a parent living with your child. You don’t need to pay rent or property tax.
How to apply
- File your 2025 tax return, even if you had no income.
- Fill in the ON-BEN form that comes with your return. Enter the rent or property tax you paid for your main home in 2025. Tax software and free clinics include this form.
- If you have a spouse or common-law partner, only one of you fills in ON-BEN for both of you. The payment is the same no matter who applies.
- Set up direct deposit in CRA My Account or by calling 1-800-959-8281.
The tax deadline is April 30. If you file late, you still get the benefit, but your payments may start later. If you need help, free tax clinics run by volunteers file returns for people with modest incomes and simple taxes.
What changed in 2026
- The amounts went up for July 2026. The sales tax credit rose from $371 to $378 per person. Ontario adjusts the OTB each year for inflation.
- The lump-sum rule is now $500. If you remember a $360 cut-off, that no longer applies.
- The federal GST/HST credit became the Canada Groceries and Essentials Benefit in July 2026. It’s a separate payment, and the Ontario sales tax credit does not reduce it.
Payment late, missing or smaller?
Wait 10 working days after the payment date. Then check your payment status in CRA My Account, or call the CRA benefits line at 1-800-387-1193.
Common reasons for a missing, smaller or one-time payment:
- Your total is $500 or less, so it all came in July.
- You didn’t file your 2025 return, or didn’t fill in ON-BEN.
- You left rent off ON-BEN, or your income went up in 2025.
- Your partner applied for both of you, so the money went to them.
- You moved out of Ontario, or out of Northern Ontario for the NOEC.
- You changed address or bank account and didn’t tell the CRA.
Watch for scams. Ontario warns about fake texts saying you’re “entitled” to an OTB refund with a link to click. The government won’t text you to claim a benefit, and the CRA never sends payments by e-transfer or text, or asks for gift cards or crypto.
Other help you might be missing
- GAINS: Ontario’s top-up for low-income seniors, up to $92 a month from July 2026 to June 2027, paid around the 25th. If you get OAS and the Guaranteed Income Supplement and file your taxes, you don’t need to apply. More on GAINS.
- Ontario Senior Homeowners’ Property Tax Grant: up to $500 a year if you’re 64 or older and own your home. It shrinks above $35,000 income for singles and $45,000 for couples. Apply on the same ON-BEN form.
- Canada Groceries and Essentials Benefit: the federal quarterly payment (formerly the GST/HST credit), paid about five days before the OTB in January, April, July and October.
- Ontario Child Benefit: paid with the Canada Child Benefit for families with children under 18.
- ODSP and Ontario Works: if you’re on either one, you should still file taxes to get the OTB.
Common questions
Is the Ontario Trillium Benefit taxable?
No. All three parts are tax-free, and you don’t have to owe tax to get them.
Does the OTB reduce my ODSP?
No. ODSP rules list the Ontario Trillium Benefit as exempt income, so it isn’t taken off your monthly ODSP payment.
Why did I only get one OTB payment in July?
Your yearly total was $500 or less, so the CRA paid it all at once in July 2026. Your next payment will be in July 2027 if you file your 2026 taxes.
Does the OTB stop if I move into long-term care?
No, but the amount changes. People in a public long-term care home can get up to $290 for the energy and property tax credit, plus the sales tax credit.
What does the OTB say on my bank statement?
At many banks it shows as “Canada PRO”, but the wording depends on your bank. CRA My Account lists every payment the CRA has sent you.
Do both spouses get the OTB?
The couple gets one combined amount. The sales tax credit goes to whoever’s return is assessed first, and the energy and property tax credit goes to whoever filled in ON-BEN.
