Ontarians to receive August OTB payment on Monday

July marked a new benefit year in Canada and benefit amounts were adjusted by 2% based on the Consumer Price Index.

Each year, you must file your personal Income Tax and Benefit Return and fill out the ON-BEN Application form that’s included in the tax return package. Based on your return, the Canada Revenue Agency (CRA) determines whether you’re eligible for the OTB and lets you know if you’ll receive the payment.

“If you turn 18 before June 2027, you should apply and file your tax return to be considered for the Ontario Trillium Benefit,” states the province’s website. “For example, if you turn 18 in November 2026, you should file your 2025 tax return by April 30, 2026. If you qualify, you will receive the next scheduled payment after you turn 18.”

The OTB combines three different credits: the Northern Ontario Energy Credit, the Ontario Energy and Property Tax Credit, and the Ontario Sales Tax Credit: These help cover part of energy costs and sales and property taxes. If you are eligible for at least one of the three tax-free payments, you can receive the OTB. 

Am I eligible for the Northern Ontario Energy Credit?

The Northern Ontario Energy Credit (NOEC) is a tax-free payment aimed at offsetting the high home energy costs of living in Northern Ontario. Only residents of Algoma, Cochrane, Kenora, Manitoulin, Nipissing, Parry Sound, Rainy River, Sudbury, Thunder Bay, and Timiskaming districts are eligible for it.

You’ll qualify for the NOEC credits until June 2027 if you were a resident of Northern Ontario as of December 31, 2025, and you meet at least one of these conditions at some point before June 1, 2027: you’re 18 or older, you have (or previously had) a spouse or common-law partner, or you’re a parent who lives (or lived) with your child.

Additionally, at least one of these needs to have been true for you in 2025:

• You rented or paid property tax on your main residence
• You lived on a reserve and covered your own home energy costs
• You lived in a public long-term care home and paid part of your accommodation costs

Eligibility can change depending on where you’re living on the first day of each month.

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“If you live in Sudbury on November 1 and move to London (Southern Ontario) at the end of November, you would be eligible for the November NOEC payment, but you wouldn’t be eligible for any subsequent payments,” states the Ontario website in an example.

For singles, the maximum credit amount is $189, while families can receive up to $290.

If you have a spouse or common-law partner in the household, this payment will go to whoever filled out the ON-BEN form.

Am I eligible for the Ontario Energy and Property Tax Credit?

The Ontario Energy and Property Tax Credit (OEPTC) is meant to provide some relief to the property taxes and the sales tax you pay on energy costs.

To be eligible, you need to have been living in Ontario as of December 31, 2025. Second, at least one of these needs to apply to you at some point before June 1, 2027: you are aged 18 or more, you are currently or were previously married or in a common-law relationship, or you are a parent who lives (or lived) with your child.

The Ontario website adds that at least one of the following needs to have applied to you in 2025 too:

• You paid property tax on your main residence
• You rented and your landlord was required to pay property tax on your unit (check with your landlord if you’re in subsidized housing).
• You lived on a reserve and paid your own home energy costs
• You lived in a public long-term care home and paid toward your accommodation.

Once again, eligibility is assessed regularly based on where you’re living on the first day of the month.

You can get up to $1,307 if you’re between 18 and 64, up to $1,488 if you’re 65 or older, $290 if you live on a reserve or in a public long-term care home, and $25 for any time spent in 2025 living in a designated college, university, or private school residence.

Like with the NOEC credit, those with a spouse or common-law partner in the household should know that this payment will go to whoever filled out the ON-BEN form.

Am I eligible for the Ontario Sales Tax Credit?

The Ontario Sales Tax Credit (OSTC) is meant to offset the sales tax Ontarians pay throughout the year.

To be eligible, you need to have been an Ontario resident before June, 2027, and at least one of the following should apply to you:

• You are 19 or older
• You’re currently married or were previously married or in a common-law relationship
• You’re a parent who lives (or previously lived) with your child.

The payout varies based on your household. Singles can get up to $378, but if you have a spouse or common-law partner, you can collect another $378. Those with dependent children under 19 can get an additional $378 per child. The child should be under 19 on the first day of the payment month.

Couples should be aware that the OSTC portion of the OTB goes to whichever spouse or common-law partner has their tax return assessed first.

The provincial website mentions that this credit does not affect your GST/HST credit payments.

The CRA’s child and family benefit tax calculator can help you determine how much money you can expect in your upcoming OTB payment.

If your payout is more than $500, you can either receive monthly payments from July 2026 or get one large payment in June 2027. Read more about the benefit on the official Ontario website.

Read more about benefits:

• Ontario Trillium Benefit payment dates in 2026, and more about the OTB
• CPP payment dates in 2026, and more to know about the Canada Pension Plan
• Canada Disability Benefit: What it is, who qualifies, and how to apply
• Are you receiving the child benefits you’re entitled to?

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MoneySense editors and journalists work closely with leading personal finance experts in Canada. Since 1999, our award-winning magazine has helped Canadians navigate money matters.

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