What is the Ontario Trillium Benefit?

It is a tax credit benefit paid out to Ontario citizens if they qualify for at least one of the following tax credits:

• Ontario Energy and Property Tax Credit (OEPTC)
• Northern Ontario Energy Credit (NOEC)
• Ontario Sales Tax Credit (OSTC)

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The annual OTB entitlement is usually divided by 12 and the payments are issued monthly. Together, the three tax credits aim to assist lower income families with living costs.

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Breakdown of each tax credit:

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Ontario Energy And Property Tax Credit

The OEPTC is designed to pay back partial costs associated with the sales tax that low- to moderate-income Ontarians pay on their energy and some of their property taxes.

You might be eligible to receive the payment for OEPTC if you qualify for property tax or energy sales tax.

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Northern Ontario Energy Credit

Ontario has one of the highest energy costs in the country, which directly affects the cost of living and hits low- to moderate-income families the hardest.

Northern Ontarians face even higher energy costs. So, the government offsets this expense to an extent, using the Northern Ontario Energy Credit (NOEC).

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Ontario Sales Tax Credit

Ontarians pay a Harmonized Sales Tax (HST) of 13% on all their purchases. Like any other province, 5% of this tax goes to the federal government, whereas the remaining 8% stays with the state.  Note: This will vary per province.

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Almost everyone pays the HST on almost everything they purchase, so the Ontario government returns some of it to the low- to moderate-income families via the OSTC.

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Click here to find out if you are eligible for the Ontario Trillium Benefit.

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