The Ontario Trillium Benefit (OTB) assists low-income families with a refundable tax credit. Three tax credits combine into a single payment:

• Ontario energy and property tax credit,
• Ontario sales tax credit,
• Northern Ontario energy credit

These credits are all funded by the Province of Ontario and administered by the CRA. Watch your bank account for deposits that say “Canada Pro.”

Do I qualify for the Ontario Trillium Benefit?

If you are eligible for any of the three benefits (above), you qualify for the Ontario Trillium Benefit. You can choose to be paid monthly or annually. For monthly payments, your payment is earlier. But annual payments are all at once in a lump sum at the end of the year.Any annual benefit of less than $360 can’t be paid monthly. You get the total amount in July. You have to file your tax return by April 30^th or the trillium benefit payments are delayed.

How Do I Receive my Ontario Trillium Benefit?

Start by filing your tax return by April 30^th, even if you didn’t earn any income. Complete the Form ON-BEN (Application for the Ontario Trillium Benefit and the Ontario Senior Homeowners’ Property Tax Grant). If you already filed and forgot to include the ON-BEN form, file an adjustment using CRA My Account.You have to reapply for trillium benefits every year. Your eligibility is always based on your net income from the previous year. So, your eligibility changes as your net family income, place of residence, age or family status change.

Ontario Energy and Property Tax Credit

This credit assists low- to middle-income families with their property taxes and GST/HST paid on energy. Eligibility is based on paying living expenses for:

• while living in a nursing home
• property taxes or rent on your principal residence
• energy costs while living on a reserve in Ontario
• while living in designed post-secondary school residences

Northern Ontario Energy Credit

This credit assists low- to middle-income families with energy costs because they live in the North. So, eligibility is based on paying living expenses for:

• while living in a nursing home
• property taxes or rent on your principal residence
• energy costs while living on a reserve in Northern Ontario

Ontario Sales Tax Credit

This credit assists low- to middle-income families with GST /HST paid on goods and services. Eligibility is based on the net family income in the prior year.For more information, and to see if you qualify for Ontario Trillium Benefit, check the Ontario Trillium Benefit website.