The Ontario Trillium Benefit is one payment made up of three separate credits, delivered monthly by the CRA on behalf of the province. Most recipients never realise it is three things bundled together — which is part of why the amount can look unpredictable.
Here are the 2027 dates.
Ontario Trillium Benefit Payment Dates 2027
- January 8 — Friday
- February 10 — Wednesday
- March 10 — Wednesday
- April 9 — Friday
- May 10 — Monday
- June 10 — Thursday
- July 9 — Friday
- August 10 — Tuesday
- September 10 — Friday
- October 8 — Friday
- November 10 — Wednesday
- December 10 — Friday
The rule is the 10th of each month, moved to the preceding business day when the 10th falls on a weekend. January, April, July and October shift in 2027 because the 10th lands on a Saturday or Sunday.
The Three Credits Inside One Payment
The OTB combines:
- Ontario Energy and Property Tax Credit (OEPTC) — the largest component for most people, based on rent or property tax paid
- Northern Ontario Energy Credit (NOEC) — only for residents of specified northern districts
- Ontario Sales Tax Credit (OSTC) — an income-tested credit offsetting sales tax
You may qualify for one, two, or all three. The payment you receive is the total, which is why two people with similar incomes can receive very different amounts.
Renters Frequently Miss This
The property tax credit component covers rent paid, not only property tax. Tenants qualify — but only if they claim it, and claiming it requires completing the ON-BEN application form with your annual tax return and reporting the rent you paid and the address.
Newcomers renting their first Canadian apartment routinely skip this because the form asks about property tax and they assume it does not apply to them. It does. Keep your rent receipts or a landlord statement showing total rent paid for the year.
The Lump Sum Rule
If your total annual OTB entitlement is $360 or less, the CRA issues it as a single payment in July rather than spreading it over twelve months. If you were expecting a small monthly amount and nothing arrives, this is usually why.
You can also choose to receive the whole year as a lump sum in June of the following year instead of monthly instalments, by electing that option on your return.
Why the Amount Changes in July
The OTB benefit year runs July to June, recalculated from the previous year’s tax return. Your July 2027 payment reflects your 2026 income, rent and property tax. Payments from January to June 2027 still reflect 2025.
As with every CRA-administered benefit, an unfiled return stops the payment entirely — there is no estimate and no grace period.
