🌷 Ontario Benefit — Applied for on Your Tax Return

Ontario Trillium Benefit — Monthly Payments You May Be Missing

What you will learn: What the Ontario Trillium Benefit is, whether you qualify, how much you could receive each month, and how to make sure you are claiming it on your tax return.

Hidden in Plain Sight

The Ontario Trillium Benefit is applied for on your Ontario tax return — specifically on a form called Schedule ON-BEN. If you file your taxes but do not complete this schedule, you lose the benefit entirely for that year. Many eligible Ontarians skip it because they do not know it exists, or do not realise their tax return is where they apply.

Frances's Story

Frances, 69, from London, Ontario. Frances rented an apartment on a fixed income — CPP, OAS, and a small pension. She had filed her taxes every year using a volunteer at the library's free tax clinic.

One year a new volunteer noticed that Schedule ON-BEN — the Ontario Trillium Benefit application — had never been completed on any of Frances's past returns. The volunteer asked a few questions, filled in the form, and submitted an adjustment request for previous years.

Three months later, Frances received a lump sum of $1,847 from CRA for missed Ontario Trillium Benefit payments from the two previous years. Her ongoing monthly benefit was $98 — money that now arrives automatically every month without her having to do anything.

"I had no idea it was on my tax form," Frances said. "I thought someone would have told me."

What Is the Ontario Trillium Benefit?

The Ontario Trillium Benefit (OTB) combines three separate Ontario tax credits into one monthly payment:

The three credits that make up the OTB:

1 Ontario Energy and Property Tax Credit (OEPTC) — helps low-to-moderate income Ontarians with the cost of energy and property tax. Applies to people who pay rent, own a home, or live in a long-term care home. Worth up to approximately $1,095 per year for seniors.
2 Ontario Sales Tax Credit (OSTC) — helps offset the HST paid on everyday purchases. Available to low-income Ontarians regardless of whether they rent or own. Worth up to approximately $345 per year for individuals.
3 Northern Ontario Energy Credit (NOEC) — additional credit for people living in Northern Ontario (districts of Algoma, Cochrane, Kenora, Manitoulin, Nipissing, Parry Sound, Rainy River, Sudbury, Thunder Bay, Timiskaming, and the City of Greater Sudbury). Worth up to approximately $181 per year.

Do You Qualify?

You may qualify for the Ontario Trillium Benefit if:

You Can Qualify Even If You Pay No Income Tax

The Ontario Trillium Benefit is a refundable tax credit — meaning you receive it even if you owe no income tax. Seniors with very low incomes (such as those receiving only OAS and GIS) may still receive OTB payments. The key is filing your tax return and completing Schedule ON-BEN.

How Much Could You Receive?

The amount depends on your income, family situation, and housing type. As a rough guide for a single senior renting in Ontario with income under $38,000:

The exact amount is calculated by CRA when you file your return. The best way to know your exact benefit is to file your taxes and complete Schedule ON-BEN.

How to Apply — It Is on Your Tax Return

There is no separate OTB application. You apply by completing Schedule ON-BEN as part of your Ontario income tax return (the T1 General).

Applying for the Ontario Trillium Benefit:

1 File your annual income tax return. If you use a tax software program, look for "Ontario Benefits" or "ON-BEN" in the Ontario credits section. If a volunteer files for you, confirm they have completed Schedule ON-BEN.
2 On Schedule ON-BEN, answer questions about your housing situation: do you rent or own? What were your annual rent payments (if applicable)? What was your property tax or rent amount?
3 CRA calculates your OTB amount and sends a notice with your tax assessment. Benefits are paid monthly from July to June of the following year. For example, your 2025 tax return determines your OTB payments from July 2026 to June 2027.
4 Payments arrive by direct deposit (if you have set up direct deposit with CRA — see our CRA My Account guide) or by cheque. Set up direct deposit once and payments arrive automatically every month.

If You Filed Taxes But Never Claimed OTB

If you believe you were eligible in previous years but did not complete Schedule ON-BEN, you can request an adjustment to your past tax returns — going back up to 10 years. This is called a T1 Adjustment Request (T1-ADJ).

Requesting an adjustment for missed OTB:

1 Log in to CRA My Account (canada.ca/my-cra-account). Under "Tax returns," find the year you want to adjust and select "Change my return."
2 Alternatively, complete Form T1-ADJ (available at canada.ca) and mail it to CRA with the completed Schedule ON-BEN for each year you are adjusting.
3 CRA will recalculate your return and issue the retroactive OTB payment if you qualify. Processing typically takes 8–12 weeks.
Free Tax Help Makes This Easy

If completing Schedule ON-BEN or a T1 Adjustment feels confusing, a free tax clinic volunteer can do it for you. The Community Volunteer Income Tax Program (CVITP) offers free tax filing to low-income Canadians — and volunteers are specifically trained to catch missed credits like the OTB. Find a clinic at: canada.ca — Find a Free Tax Clinic.

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If you file your Ontario taxes and complete Schedule ON-BEN, the money arrives automatically every month — you do not need to do anything else.

Check your most recent Notice of Assessment from CRA. If it mentions Ontario Trillium Benefit payments, you are already receiving it. If it does not, ask a tax volunteer to review your return at the next available free clinic.

More Ontario and Federal Benefits

Guide Guaranteed Income Supplement Up to $1,065/month for low-income OAS recipients. Non-taxable. Apply through Service Canada. Guide CRA My Account Check your Notice of Assessment and see whether OTB payments are included — and adjust past returns if they were missed.

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