The OTB, or Ontario Trillium Benefit, is a tax-free payment from the Ontario provincial government designed to help residents cover energy costs, property taxes, and the sales tax they pay on everyday purchases. It bundles three separate tax credits into a single monthly payment, delivered by the Canada Revenue Agency (CRA). If you live in Ontario and have a low to moderate income, the OTB can put several hundred dollars back in your pocket each year.
The Three Credits Inside the OTB
The Ontario Trillium Benefit isn’t one credit. It’s three credits rolled together so you receive them in a single payment rather than dealing with each one separately.
- Ontario Energy and Property Tax Credit: Helps offset the cost of property taxes and energy bills (electricity, heating fuel, etc.) whether you own or rent your home.
- Ontario Sales Tax Credit: A quarterly credit that returns a portion of the Harmonized Sales Tax (HST) you pay on goods and services throughout the year.
- Northern Ontario Energy Credit: An additional energy credit available only to residents of Northern Ontario, where heating and energy costs tend to be higher.
You don’t choose which credits to apply for. When you file your return and complete the required form, the CRA calculates whichever of the three you qualify for and combines them into your OTB payment.
Who Qualifies
To receive the OTB, you need to be a resident of Ontario and file a personal income tax return for the previous year. Each of the three underlying credits has its own eligibility rules, but the general requirements overlap: you must be a Canadian resident on the first day of the payment month, and you must have filed your taxes (even if you had no income to report).
The Ontario Sales Tax Credit is available to anyone 19 or older, or younger if you have a spouse, common-law partner, or child. The energy and property tax credit requires that you paid rent, property tax, or lived on a reserve or in a public long-term care home during the tax year. The Northern Ontario energy credit adds the requirement that your principal residence was in Northern Ontario.
The amount you receive depends on your family net income. As income rises, the benefit phases out gradually, so higher earners receive smaller payments or none at all. The CRA handles the calculation automatically based on the information in your tax return.
How Much You Could Receive
The exact dollar amount varies from person to person because it depends on your income, your living situation (renter vs. homeowner), your age, and whether you live in Northern Ontario. Generally, a single person with low income can receive a few hundred dollars per year from the combined credits. Families with children and seniors may qualify for higher amounts under the energy and property tax credit.
Because the benefit phases out as income increases, the best way to find your specific amount is to complete the ON-BEN form when you file your taxes. The CRA will calculate your entitlement and send you a notice showing the breakdown.
2026 Payment Dates
The OTB is paid on the 10th of each month (or the closest business day before that if the 10th falls on a weekend or holiday). Here are the scheduled payment dates for 2026:
- January 9
- February 10
- March 10
- April 10
- May 8
- June 10
- July 10
- August 10
- September 10
- October 9
- November 10
- December 10
If your total annual OTB entitlement is small, you may receive it as a single lump sum rather than in monthly installments. Signing up for direct deposit with the CRA is the fastest way to get your payment on time.
How to Apply
There is no separate application. You claim the OTB by filing your personal income tax and benefit return and completing the ON-BEN Application Form, which is included in your tax return package. If you file online using certified tax software, the software will prompt you with the relevant OTB questions and attach the form automatically.
The key step many people miss: you must file a tax return even if you earned no income during the year. If you skip filing because you think you don’t owe anything, the CRA has no way to calculate your benefit and you won’t receive it. This is especially important for students, people on social assistance, and seniors whose only income is Old Age Security or the Guaranteed Income Supplement.
Once you file, the CRA reviews your return and sends a notice telling you whether you qualify, how much you’ll get, and when payments will start. Payments for a given benefit year typically begin in July following the tax-filing deadline, so filing early ensures there’s no delay.
What to Do If Payments Stop or Change
Your OTB amount can change mid-year if the CRA reassesses your return, if your marital status changes, or if you move out of Ontario. A common reason payments stop entirely is simply that last year’s return hasn’t been filed yet. If your payments disappear, the first thing to check is whether both you and your spouse or common-law partner have filed your most recent tax returns.
You can verify your OTB status through your CRA My Account online, or by calling the CRA’s benefit inquiries line. The online portal shows your calculated entitlement, upcoming payment dates, and any flags on your file that might be holding up a payment.