Ontario Trillium Benefit Payment Dates 2026
The OTB is paid on the 10th of every month by the CRA on Ontario's behalf, bundling three separate provincial credits into one deposit. Payments from July 10, 2026 belong to the July 2026 – June 2027 benefit year.
2026 OTB payment calendar
| Month | 2026 payment date | 2025 (for comparison) |
|---|---|---|
| January 2026 | Fri, Jan 9 | Fri, Jan 10 |
| February 2026 | Tue, Feb 10 | Mon, Feb 10 |
| March 2026 | Tue, Mar 10 | Mon, Mar 10 |
| April 2026 | Fri, Apr 10 | Thu, Apr 10 |
| May 2026 | Fri, May 8 | Fri, May 9 |
| June 2026 | Wed, Jun 10 | Tue, Jun 10 |
| July 2026 | Fri, Jul 10 | Thu, Jul 10 |
| August 2026 | Mon, Aug 10 | Fri, Aug 8 |
| September 2026 | Thu, Sep 10 | Wed, Sep 10 |
| October 2026 | Fri, Oct 9 | Fri, Oct 10 |
| November 2026 | Tue, Nov 10 | Mon, Nov 10 |
| December 2026 | Thu, Dec 10 | Wed, Dec 10 |
Source: Canada.ca — Benefits payment dates and CRA — Ontario benefit programs.
Three credits, one deposit
The OTB is not a credit in its own right — it is the combined payment of the three below. Qualifying for any one of them is enough to be paid. Maximums shown are for the July 2026 – June 2027 benefit year, assessed from your 2025 return.
Ontario Energy and Property Tax Credit (OEPTC)
Helps with property tax and the sales tax charged on home energy.
- aged 18 to 64 up to $1,307
- aged 65 or older up to $1,488
- living on a reserve or in a public long-term care home up to $290
- time spent in a designated student residence in 2025 up to $25
Northern Ontario Energy Credit (NOEC)
Helps with the higher home energy costs of Northern Ontario.
- single up to $189
- family up to $290
Ontario Sales Tax Credit (OSTC)
Helps with sales tax paid through the year.
- per adult up to $378
- per spouse or common-law partner up to $378
- per child under 19 up to $378
The Northern Ontario Energy Credit is limited to residents of 10 northern districts: Algoma, Cochrane, Kenora, Manitoulin, Nipissing, Parry Sound, Rainy River, Sudbury, Thunder Bay, Timiskaming. Eligibility for the energy credits is tested against where you live on the 1st of each payment month, so moving out of the north — or out of Ontario — stops later payments without affecting the ones already issued.
When monthly becomes a single payment
- $500 or less: paid once, in the first payment month of the benefit year.
- More than $500: monthly by default, or elect on your return to take it all on June 10, 2027. The election can only be made when you first file, and is revoked automatically if you leave Ontario, go bankrupt, or are incarcerated for 90 days or more.
- Above $2 but under $10: topped up to a single $10 payment.
- $2 or less: no payment is issued.
If a payment is redirected instead of deposited, it has usually been applied to a balance you owe the CRA or to family support arrears before the remainder is released.
Got a letter about your OTB?
The CRA sends an OTB notice once it has assessed your return and worked out your entitlement — it is a statement of what you will be paid, not a bill. We break down what each part of it means in OTB notice from the CRA, explained. Ontario also warns that texts and instant messages promising an OTB refund are a scam: the province never texts you to collect personal information or arrange a payment.
Frequently asked questions
When is the Ontario Trillium Benefit paid in 2026?
The OTB is issued on the 10th of each month: Jan 9, Feb 10, Mar 10, Apr 10, May 8, Jun 10, Jul 10, Aug 10, Sep 10, Oct 9, Nov 10, Dec 10. When the 10th falls on a weekend or a statutory holiday the payment moves to the last working day before it, which is why Jan 9, May 8, Oct 9 sit earlier than the rest.
Why did I get one big OTB payment instead of monthly ones?
Two situations produce a single payment. If your annual entitlement is $500 or less it is paid as one lump sum in the first payment month, normally July. Alternatively, if your entitlement is above $500 you can elect on your return to defer the whole amount to one payment on June 10, 2027 instead — same total either way.
Why did my OTB stop in June and restart in July?
The OTB benefit year runs July to June, not January to December. Payments from July 10, 2026 onward belong to the July 2026 – June 2027 benefit year and are recalculated from your 2025 return — so the amount usually changes at that point, and stops entirely if that return has not been filed.
I filed late — when does my first payment arrive?
If your 2025 return is assessed by June 19, 2026, payments start on the regular July date. Assessed after that, the first payment generally comes 4 to 8 weeks after assessment and then follows the 10th-of-the-month cycle, with any missed months paid retroactively.
Is there a minimum OTB payment?
Yes. An annual entitlement of $2 or less is not paid at all. Above $2 but under $10, it is rounded up to a single $10 payment.
Do I need to apply for the OTB every year?
Yes — by filing your return and completing Form ON-BEN with it. The CRA calculates the entitlement for you, so it never appears on your notice of assessment as a refund line. You must file even with no income to report.
Is the Ontario Trillium Benefit taxable?
No. The OTB is tax-free, and no interest is paid or charged on OTB overpayments or underpayments — including on payments delayed by a late assessment.
Who actually pays the OTB — Ontario or the CRA?
Ontario legislates and funds it; the Canada Revenue Agency administers and issues it on the province's behalf. That split is why the money arrives from the CRA while the eligibility rules and amounts come from the Ontario Ministry of Finance.
Sources
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