Ontario Trillium Benefit (OTB) Dates

Jordan Bishop

December 12, 2022

Blog

As the cost of living rises for Ontarians, the Ontario government, in a bid to help with the growing costs of daily necessities like housing, food items, and other essentials, introduced the Ontario Trillium Benefit (OTB) to help combat this problem. The Ontario Trillium Benefit (OTB) serves to help low-income and middle-income earning Ontarians pay for the costs of energy usage, as well as sales and property taxes.

What is the Ontario Trillium Benefit (OTB)?

The Ontario Trillium Benefit (OTB) is a non-refundable tax credit program fully sponsored and funded by the provincial government of Ontario. The benefit is issued by the Canadian Revenue Agency (CRA) on behalf of the Ontario government.

It is given to eligible low-income to moderate-income earning Ontarians to assist with energy costs, as well as sales and property taxes. The Ontario Trillium Benefit (OTB) combines three tax credits into one benefit payment. The component tax credits include:

Ontario Energy and Property Tax Credit (OEPTC)
Northern Ontario Energy Credit (NOEC)
Ontario Sales Tax Credit (OSTC)

To receive the Ontario Trillium Benefit (OTB) payments, you need to be eligible for at least one of the three tax credits paid by the OTB.

Ontario Energy & Property Tax Credit (OEPTC)

The Ontario Energy and Property Tax Credit (OEPTC) is a tax-exempt payment made to eligible low-income and middle-income earning Ontario residents to help with the cost of property taxes and the sales tax on energy costs.

The OEPTC has two components: the energy component and the property tax component.

To receive the OEPTC portion of the Ontario Trillium Benefit (OTB), you need to be eligible for any one of the components of the OEPTC.

Northern Ontario Energy Credit (NOEC)

Residents of Northern Ontario face higher energy costs due to the cold weather. The Northern Ontario Energy Credit (NOEC) is a non-taxable payment made to eligible Northern Ontarians to help them offset the higher energy costs they pay in the north.

This tax credit is payable to Northern Ontarians residing in:

Algoma
Kenora
Cochrane
Manitoulin
Parry Sound
Sudbury
Nipissing
Rainy River
Thunder Bay
Timiskaming

Ontario Sales Tax Credit (OSTC)

The Ontario Sales Tax Credit (OSTC) is a non-taxable credit payment issued by the CRA to eligible low-income and middle-income earning Ontario residents.

The Ontario Sales Tax Credit (OSTC) is aimed at providing relief to Ontarians for the sales taxes they pay.

Ontario Trillium Benefit (OTB) Payment Dates 2023

If you're eligible for the Ontario Trillium Benefit (OTB) you will receive your payments on the 10th day of each benefit month from the CRA. If the date falls on a weekend or holiday, then the payments will be made on the last business day before the 10th day of the benefit month.

You may receive your payment by check or direct deposit. The Ontario Trillium Benefit (OTB) payment dates for the 2023 benefit year are:

January 10, 2023
February 10, 2023
March 10, 2023
April 6, 2023
May 10, 2023
June 9, 2023
July 10, 2023
August 10, 2023
September 8, 2023
October 10, 2023
November 10, 2023
December 8, 2023

For the 2023 benefit year, if your Ontario Trillium Benefit (OTB) payment amount is more than $360, you may choose to receive your payments every month starting from July 2023 or choose to receive the total payment as one lump sum in June 2024.

If you're entitled to an OTB payment of $360 or less, you will receive your payments as one lump sum in July 2023.

If your Ontario Trillium Benefit (OTB) amount is more than $2 but less than $10, it will be increased to $10 and paid as one lump sum in July 2023.

If your OTB entitlement amount is $2 or less, you will not receive any payments.

To ensure that you receive your Ontario Trillium Benefit (OTB) payments on time, you must file your income tax and benefits return by April 30. If you do not file your tax returns on time, your benefit payments may be delayed.

Ontario Trillium Benefit (OTB) Eligibility Requirements

To be eligible for the Ontario Trillium Benefit (OTB), you need to be eligible or qualify for at least one of the tax credits covered by the Ontario Trillium Benefit (OTB).

Ontario Energy and Property Tax Credit (OEPTC) Eligibility Requirements

To qualify to receive the Ontario Energy and Property Tax Credit (OEPTC) payments, you must be an Ontario resident or lived in Ontario as of December 31 of the previous year, and also meet one of the following requirements:

You must be at least 18 years old.
You must be or have been married or have a common-law partner.
You must be a parent and live or previously lived with your child.

Also in the previous year, you must have done any of the following:

You paid property tax for your home.
You lived on a reserve and paid for your home energy bills.
You paid for your accommodation costs and lived in a long-term care home.

Furthermore, your eligibility status is also dependent on where you live on the first day of each benefit month.

Northern Ontario Energy Credit (NOEC) Eligibility Requirements

To be qualified to receive the Northern Ontario Energy Credit (NOEC) payments, you must be a Northern Ontario resident or live in Northern Ontario as of December 31 of the previous year and also meet one of the following criteria. You must:

be 18 years or older.
be married or previously married or in a common-law relationship.
be a parent and live (or lived) with your child.

Furthermore, in the previous year, you must have done any of the following:

You paid rent or property taxes for where you live.
You paid home energy bills for your home and lived on a reserve.
You paid a portion of your accommodation fees while living in a long-term care home.

Your eligibility is also determined by where you live on the 1st of each month.

Ontario Sales Tax Credit (OSTC) Eligibility Requirements

To receive the Ontario Sales Tax Credit (OSTC), you must be, before June 1, an Ontario resident and also meet at least one of the following criteria:

You must be at least 19 years old.
You must have or previously had a spouse or common-law partner.
You must have a child or children and live or previously lived with your child or children.

Ontario Trillium Benefit (OTB): How much can you get?

The Ontario Trillium Benefit (OTB) amount you may be entitled to receive depends on factors like your age, residence, income, family size, and amount of rent or property tax.

The total Ontario Trillium Benefit (OTB) amount paid to you is a sum of all the amounts you're entitled to from the OTB programs you are eligible for. You can use the Canada Revenue Agency (CRA) child and family benefits calculator to calculate how much you may be entitled to from the three OTB tax credits.

However, each OTB tax credit program has its maximum amount payable to eligible individuals.

Ontario Energy and Property Tax Credit (OEPTC) Payment Amount

If you're eligible for OEPTC, the maximum amount payable to you is:

$1,121 if you're aged 18 to 64 years old.
$277 if you are above 65 years old.
$249 if you live in a long-term care home or on a reserve.
$25 if you lived in any college, private school residence, or university in the previous year.

Northern Ontario Energy Credit (NOEC) Payment Amount

If you're qualified to receive the Northern Ontario Energy Credit (NOEC), the maximum amount payable to you is:

$162 if you are single.
$249 if you have a family.

Ontario Sales Tax Credit Payment Amount

The maximum payable Ontario Sales Tax Credit (OSTC) amount to eligible individuals is $324.

However, you may receive an additional credit amount of up to:

$324 for your spouse or common-law partner.
$324 for each child under 19 years living with you. The child must be less than 19 years old on the first day of each payment month to receive the additional credit.

Also, the OSTC amount you are entitled to be affected by your income. The OSTC is an income-tested tax credit. That is, the higher the income above the threshold, the lower your benefit amount, and the lower your income below the threshold, the higher your benefit amount.

Based on your 2022 income tax and benefit return (benefit year from July 2023 to June 2024), the clawback is as follows:

If you are single with no child and your adjusted net income is above $24,916, your OSTC amount will be reduced by 4% of your income above $24,916.
If you are a single parent, married, or have a common-law partner, your OSTC amount will be decreased by 4% of your Adjusted Family Net Income (AFNI) above $31,144.

The minimum payable Ontario Trillium Benefit (OTB) amount is $10. If your OTB amount is more than $2 but less than $10, it will be increased to $10.

However, if your OTB amount is less than $2, you will not receive any payment.

How to Apply for the Ontario Trillium Benefit (OTB)

To ensure that you receive the Ontario Trillium Benefit (OTB) payment, you must file your personal Income Tax and Benefit Return for every tax year as well as complete the ON-BEN Application Form which is included in your tax return package.

If you do not earn any income, you will still have to file your annual tax return so to keep receiving it will be payments.

The CRA determines your eligibility based on the information you provided in your tax return.

You should file your annual tax return on or before April 30 of each year to be qualified for the credit.

For Married Or Common-Law Partners

The Ontario Sales Tax Credit (OSTC) portion of the Ontario Trillium Benefit (OTB) pays the benefit amount to the partner or spouse whose tax return is assessed first.

However, the OEPTC and the NOEC components pay out the tax credits to the partner who applies for any one of the credits by completing Form ON-BEN.

If You Just Turned 18 During The Benefit Year

If you become 18 years old before the end of the benefit year in June, you will have to apply for and file your tax returns for that year even if you have no income to report to be qualified for the Ontario Trillium Benefit (OTB).

You will receive your OTB payment in the first month of the new benefit year.

Ontario Trillium Benefit (OTB): How Will You Receive Your Payments?

If you usually receive your income tax refund by direct deposit, you will also receive your Ontario Trillium Benefit (OTB) payment by direct deposit. You might also get your OTB payment as a Canada Pro deposit.

However, if you do not receive your income tax refund by direct deposit, your Ontario Trillium Benefit (OTB) payments will be paid to you by mail on the 10th day of each month, beginning in July.

The CRA usually sends out the cheques before the payment dates to allow enough time for the cheques to reach the recipients before the due dates.

You can request for direct deposit online using your CRA My Account or by completing the Canada direct deposit enrollment form.

You can also contact the CRA at 1-800-959-8281 to request direct deposit enrollment.

Ontario Trillium Benefit (OTB): Is It Taxable?

The Ontario Trillium Benefit (OTB), including its component tax credits, is a non-taxable benefit program paid out to eligible Ontario residents. The amount you're entitled to in Ontario Trillium Benefit (OTB) is not added as a taxable income on your income tax returns and you do not owe any taxes deductible from the OTB income.

However, if you owe taxes or overpayments, the CRA may use part of your Ontario Trillium Benefit (OTB) entitlement to pay off your debts. The excess amount is to be sent to you.

When To Contact The CRA

There are situations in which you might need to lay formal complaints to the CRA concerning your Ontario Trillium Benefit (OTB) payments.

You should contact the CRA if any of the following happens:

You qualify for the benefit but do not receive your payment by July 24 or the 24th of the month following when you qualified.
You did not receive the Ontario tax credits that you were entitled to.
You received an amount lesser than what you are entitled to.
You have been told to repay a credit following an assessment or reassessment made by the federal government.

You can use the processes laid out in the Notice of Assessment or Reassessment to make a formal complaint to the CRA.

Other Ontario Tax Credits and Benefits

If you are an Ontario resident, here are other benefits sponsored by the Ontario government which you may be eligible for:

Ontario Works (OW)

The Ontario Works is a social assistance program sponsored and funded by the provincial government of Ontario. The program is also managed by the Ministry of Children, Community, and Social Services.

The program was designed to help low-income or middle-income earning Ontarians with the costs of living necessities and other costs. The program also has provisions for disabled Ontarians.

The program offers up to $733 per month to eligible individuals to cover the costs of essentials and shelter.

To be eligible for the Ontario Works (OW) program, you must meet the following criteria:

You must be at least 16 years old.
You must live in Ontario.
You must own assets within the acceptable threshold limits.

Ontario Senior Homeowners' Property Tax Grant (OSHPTG)

This non-taxable credit payment is aimed at helping low-income or middle-income earning seniors with the cost of property taxes.

Depending on your Adjusted Family Net Income (AFNI), you may be eligible to get a maximum amount of $500 per year if you file your income tax and benefit returns every year.

You can qualify to receive this benefit if you or your spouse or common-law partner, as of December 31, of the previous year:

paid the Ontario property tax for the year.
owned and lived in your main residence.
were 64 years or older.
were an Ontario resident.

Also, you or your spouse or common-law partner should meet any of the following income criteria as of December 31 of the previous year:

You or your spouse or common-law partner:

were single, widowed, or divorced and earned less than $50,000.
were married or in a common-law relationship and both you and your spouse or common-law partner earned a combined net income of less than $60,000.

If you're single, widowed, or divorced:

You may receive up to $500 if your Adjusted Family Net Income (AFNI) for the previous year was $35,000 or less.

However, if your income is more than $35,000 but less than $50,000 Your benefit amount will be decreased by 3.33% of your income above $35,000.

If you're married or in a common-law relationship:

You may receive up to $500 if your Adjusted Family Net Income (AFNI) for the previous year was $45,000 or less. However, if your income is greater than $45,000, your benefit amount will be decreased by 3.33% of your income above $45,000.

You will not be qualified to receive the benefit amount if your Adjusted Family Net Income (AFNI) is $60,000 or more.

You can use the CRA child and family benefits calculator to figure out how much money you are eligible for.

Ontario Guaranteed Annual Income System (GAINS)

The Ontario GAINS is a tax-exempt monthly benefit paid to low-income seniors in Ontario. The program is fully funded by the Ontario government.

The program offers a maximum payment amount of $83 and the minimum amount of $2.50.

You may be qualified to receive a maximum benefit of $83 a month if you have no private income. However, depending on your income, and marital status, your payment amounts may be reassessed or changed.

To be eligible for the Ontario GAINS benefit, you must:

be 65 years or older.
have been a resident of Ontario for the previous 12 months or for 20 years since you turned 18.
have lived in Canada for at least 10 years.
be qualified for and receive the Old Age Security (OAS) pension and Guaranteed Income Supplement (GIS) payments.
if you are a single senior, have a private income of about $1,992 or up to $3,084 if you're married.

To ensure that you receive your monthly payments, which are issued on or before the 25th of each month from July to June of the next year, you must:

file your tax return yearly before April 30 even when you do not earn an income.
complete a GIS application and mail it to the closest Service Canada office.

In Summary

If you are an Ontario resident, you can benefit from the Ontario Trillium Benefit (OTB). The OTB is aimed at helping low-income Ontarians pay property and sales taxes as well as home energy costs. With the high cost of living in Ontario, individuals and families can benefit from the component OTB programs: the Ontario Energy and Property Tax Credit (OEPTC), Northern Ontario Energy Credit (NOEC), and the Ontario Sales Tax Credit (OSTC). However, to keep receiving the benefits you will need to file your annual income and benefits returns every year.

Ontario Trillium Benefit (OTB) FAQs

Is OTB a taxable benefit?

No, the OTB is a non-taxable benefit. You do not have to include it as a taxable income when filing your annual income tax returns.

What is the minimum OTB amount you can receive?

The minimum OTB amount you can receive is $10. If your Ontario Trillium Benefit (OTB) amount is greater than $2 but less than $10, the amount will be increased to $10 and paid as one lump sum. However, if your OTB amount is less than $2, you will not receive any payments.

When is OTB paid?

The Ontario Trillium Benefit (OTB) is paid on the 10th day of each benefit month unless the payment date falls on a weekend or a statutory holiday. In this case, the payment will be made on the last business day before the 10th.

Can I receive my OTB payments as one lump sum?

Yes, you can receive your OTB payment as one lump sum in July if your total OTB entitlement is less than $360. If your total Ontario Trillium Benefit (OTB) amount is more than $360, you can opt to receive your payment as one lump sum at the end of the benefit year.

How will I receive my OTB payments?

You can receive your Ontario Trillium Benefit (OTB) payment by direct deposit or as a cheque. Although the direct deposit is usually the preferred option, if you choose to receive your Ontario Trillium Benefit (OTB) payment by cheque, you may receive the payments on a later date depending on the mail service operating in your area.