The Ontario Trillium Benefit is a tax-free payment that helps low-to-moderate-income Ontario residents cover energy costs, sales tax, and property taxes. To get it, you simply file your personal Income Tax and Benefit Return and complete the ON-BEN Application Form each year.<\/p>\n
According to Ontario.ca, the benefit bundles three separate credits, and you need to qualify for at least one of them to receive a payment. This guide explains who is eligible, how much you can get, and when payments arrive.<\/p>\n
The Ontario Trillium Benefit combines three credits into one payment:<\/p>\n
The amount is adjusted each year for inflation using the Ontario Consumer Price Index.<\/p>\n
Eligibility depends on which of the three credits you qualify for. For the 2026 benefit year (July 2026 to June 2027), the rules differ slightly by credit.<\/p>\n
Northern Ontario Energy Credit:<\/strong> You must be a resident of Northern Ontario (Algoma, Cochrane, Kenora, Manitoulin, Nipissing, Parry Sound, Rainy River, Sudbury, Thunder Bay, or Timiskaming) on December 31, 2025. You must also be 18 or older, have or previously have had a spouse or common-law partner, or be a parent living or previously living with your child. In 2025, you must have rented or paid property tax, lived on a reserve and paid home energy costs, or lived in a public long-term care home and paid for accommodation.<\/p>\n Ontario Energy and Property Tax Credit:<\/strong> You must be an Ontario resident on December 31, 2025, meet one of the same age or family conditions, and in 2025 have paid property tax, rented from a landlord required to pay property tax, lived on a reserve and paid energy costs, or paid for a public long-term care home.<\/p>\n Ontario Sales Tax Credit:<\/strong> Before June 1, 2027, you must be an Ontario resident and at least 19 years old, currently or previously married or in a common-law relationship, or a parent who lives or previously lived with your child.<\/p>\n Your eligibility also depends on where you live on the 1st of each month. If you move out of Ontario partway through a month, you may receive that month’s payment but not later ones.<\/p>\n The maximum amounts for the 2026 benefit year are set by credit:<\/p>\n The Ontario Sales Tax Credit does not affect your GST\/HST credit payments. Your actual amount depends on your age, income, residence, family size, and the amount you paid in rent or property tax. You can estimate your total using the CRA child and family benefits calculator on Canada.ca.<\/p>\n You must apply every year by filing your personal Income Tax and Benefit Return and completing the ON-BEN Application Form included in your tax package. File your return even if you have no income to report.<\/p>\n The Canada Revenue Agency uses your return to determine whether you qualify and how much you will receive. The last day to file is April 30 each year. If you cannot prepare your own return, the Community Volunteer Income Tax Program may be able to help.<\/p>\nHow much can I get from the Ontario Trillium Benefit?<\/h2>\n
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How do I apply for the Ontario Trillium Benefit?<\/h2>\n