Updated July 2026. The Ontario Trillium Benefit (OTB) pays out monthly to eligible Ontario households, combining the Ontario Energy and Property Tax Credit, Northern Ontario Energy Credit, and Ontario Sales Tax Credit into a single tax-free deposit. Here’s the full 2026 schedule and how the payment logistics actually work.
2026 OTB Payment Dates
- January 9
- February 10
- March 10
- April 10
- May 8
- June 10
- July 10
- August 10
- September 10
- October 9
- November 10
- December 10
How You Actually Get Paid
If you already receive your tax refunds by direct deposit, OTB arrives the same way. Otherwise, the CRA mails a cheque. If your total annual entitlement works out to $360 or less, the CRA pays it as a single lump sum rather than spreading it across 12 monthly payments. If your entitlement is above $360, you can still choose to receive the full amount as a single payment at the end of the benefit year instead of monthly installments — worth considering if you’d rather budget around one larger deposit than twelve smaller ones.
Who Often Qualifies Without Realizing It
Because OTB bundles three separate credits, groups who don’t think of themselves as “benefit recipients” frequently qualify — renters, students in certain types of residences, seniors, and Northern Ontario residents dealing with higher energy costs. If you’ve never applied and assume you don’t qualify, it’s worth checking, since eligibility for at least one of the three components is broader than people expect.
Source: Canada Revenue Agency, Ontario Trillium Benefit Questions and Answers.
