Eligible Ontario residents receiving monthly Ontario Trillium Benefit – OTB payments will see their next deposit land on Friday, October 9, 2026, one day ahead of the standard monthly schedule.
The Canada Revenue Agency normally issues OTB payments on the 10th of every month, but October 10 falls on a Saturday this year, pushing the deposit to the last business day before it.
For monthly recipients, this is the fourth instalment of the 2026–27 benefit year, which started with the July 10 payment and runs through June 2027.
For recipients whose circumstances have not changed, the October deposit generally reflects the same indexed benefit rates and 2025 tax-return information used for the July 2026 calculation, with no mid-year rate change scheduled before the next payment in November.
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What is the Ontario Trillium Benefit?
The Ontario Trillium Benefit is not a single program but a combined delivery vehicle for three separate Ontario tax credits that the CRA administers on the province’s behalf.
You do not need to qualify for all three credits to receive the OTB; your entitlement can be based on any one of the three components.
Ontario Sales Tax Credit
The OSTC offsets a portion of the provincial sales tax paid on everyday goods and services by lower-income households across Ontario.
For the 2026–27 benefit year, the maximum OSTC is $378 per eligible individual, with an additional $378 available for a spouse or common-law partner and $378 for each dependent child under 19.
A family of four qualifying for the full credit would receive $1,512 per year from this component alone, working out to $126 per month.
Ontario Energy and Property Tax Credit
The OEPTC provides targeted relief for housing-related costs including rent, property tax, and home energy expenses paid by Ontario residents.
To claim it, you must be 18 or older (or have a spouse or common-law partner, or be a parent living with your child) and have paid rent, property tax, or accommodation costs on a principal residence in Ontario during the applicable tax year.
The 2026–27 maximum is $1,307 per year for non-senior adults aged 18 to 64 and $1,488 per year for seniors aged 65 and older.
Ontario residents living on a reserve or in a public long-term care home can claim up to $290 through this credit.
Northern Ontario Energy Credit
The NOEC exists exclusively for residents of Northern Ontario, where home heating and energy costs run significantly higher than in the southern part of the province.
Eligible northern districts include Algoma, Cochrane, Kenora, Manitoulin, Nipissing, Parry Sound, Rainy River, Sudbury, Thunder Bay, and Timiskaming.
The 2026–27 maximum is $189 for single individuals without children and $290 for families, including couples and single parents.
If you move from Northern Ontario to Southern Ontario partway through the benefit year, your NOEC payments will stop for the months following the move while your OSTC and OEPTC continue, since the CRA checks residency at the beginning of each payment month.
Maximum Annual OTB Amounts for the 2026–27 Benefit Year
All three OTB components received a confirmed inflation indexation increase of approximately 1.9% compared to the 2025–26 benefit year, bringing the OSTC up from $371 to $378, and the OEPTC and NOEC to their new indexed levels across the board.
| Credit | Category | Annual Maximum |
| Ontario Sales Tax Credit (OSTC) | Per eligible person | $378 |
| OEPTC (non-senior) | Ages 18 to 64 | $1,307 |
| OEPTC (senior) | Ages 65 and older | $1,488 |
| OEPTC (reserve or long-term care) | All ages | $290 |
| Northern Ontario Energy Credit (single) | No children | $189 |
| Northern Ontario Energy Credit (family) | Couple or single parent | $290 |
A single non-senior renter in Toronto claiming the OSTC and OEPTC at full entitlement would receive up to $1,685 per year, or roughly $140 per month, from those two components combined.
A single senior homeowner in Sudbury who qualifies for the maximum amounts of all three credits could receive up to $2,055 per year, combining the $378 OSTC, $1,488 senior OEPTC, and $189 single-person NOEC.
Income Thresholds That Reduce Your OTB
Each OTB component phases out at its own threshold and reduction rate, which means household income, family size, and age all affect how much you receive.
The following table shows common thresholds where each credit begins to decrease for the 2026–27 benefit year, along with the rate at which it declines for every dollar of income above the threshold.
| Credit | Family Situation | Threshold | Reduction Rate |
| OSTC | Single, no children | $29,047 | 4% |
| OSTC | Couple or single parent | $36,309 | 4% |
| OEPTC | Single non-senior | $29,047 | 2% |
| OEPTC | Married non-senior | $36,309 | 2% |
| OEPTC | Married senior | $43,571 | 2% |
| NOEC | Single, no children | $50,833 | 1% |
| NOEC | Couple or single parent | $65,356 | 1% |
For a childless single non-senior, both the OSTC and OEPTC begin to decrease once adjusted net income exceeds $29,047, but they phase out at different rates.
The $378 maximum OSTC is reduced by 4% of income above the threshold and would be fully phased out at approximately $38,497.
The OEPTC is reduced by 2%, so someone otherwise entitled to the maximum $1,307 OEPTC could continue receiving a partial credit until adjusted net income reaches approximately $94,397.
The NOEC uses separate, higher thresholds and a slower 1% reduction rate, which means northern residents retain their energy credit at income levels well above where their OSTC has already disappeared.
Who Qualifies for the October OTB Payment
Eligibility depends on which OTB component you qualify for, because the residency and application requirements are not identical for all three credits.
Everyone seeking the 2026 OTB must file a 2025 income tax and benefit return.
For the OSTC, you generally must be an Ontario resident at the beginning of the payment month and meet the applicable age or family-status requirement, which means being 19 or older, or having (or having had) a spouse or common-law partner, or being a parent who lives with your child.
The OEPTC generally requires that you were an Ontario resident on December 31, 2025 and at the beginning of the payment month, and that you paid rent, property tax, or accommodation costs for a principal residence in Ontario during 2025.
The NOEC applies similar residency rules specifically to Northern Ontario residents, requiring that you lived in one of Ontario’s designated northern districts on December 31, 2025 and at the start of the payment month.
Residents seeking the OEPTC or NOEC must complete Form ON-BEN with their return, while the OSTC does not require a separate application beyond the tax return itself.
All The OTB Payment Dates 2026-2027
The CRA has confirmed the remaining 2026 OTB payment dates on its official benefits calendar.
January through June 2027 dates follow the CRA’s standard 10th-of-the-month rule but have not been individually published on the official 2027 payment calendar yet.
| Payment Date | Day | Status |
| October 9, 2026 | Friday | Confirmed |
| November 10, 2026 | Tuesday | Confirmed |
| December 10, 2026 | Thursday | Confirmed |
| January 8, 2027 | Friday | Projected |
| February 10, 2027 | Wednesday | Projected |
| March 10, 2027 | Wednesday | Projected |
| April 9, 2027 | Friday | Projected |
| May 10, 2027 | Monday | Projected |
| June 10, 2027 | Thursday | Projected |
Projected 2027 dates are based on the CRA’s published payment rules and have not yet been individually confirmed. April 10, 2027, falls on a Saturday and January 10, 2027, falls on a Sunday, so those projected payments shift to the preceding Friday under the CRA’s standard rule.
The June 10, 2027 payment closes out the 2026–27 benefit year entirely, and a new cycle based on your 2026 tax return will begin with the July 2027 deposit.
Recipients with an annual entitlement above $500 who chose the deferred lump-sum option on their 2025 return will not receive monthly payments and will instead receive their annual entitlement in June 2027.
Monthly Payments and the $500 Lump-Sum Rule
The CRA divides OTB recipients into two groups based on their total annual entitlement for the 2026–27 benefit year.
If your annual OTB entitlement is $500 or less, the CRA issues the full amount as a single lump-sum payment in your first payment month, usually July, rather than through monthly instalments, and no further deposits will follow until the next benefit year begins in July 2027.
Recipients whose annual entitlement exceeds $500 receive their benefit divided into monthly instalments from July 2026 through June 2027, with each deposit arriving on or around the 10th.
There is also an elective option for those entitled to more than $500 who prefer a single payment instead of monthly deposits.
If you selected the single-payment option on your 2025 tax return, you will receive your entire 2026–27 OTB entitlement as one deposit in June 2027 rather than through the monthly schedule.
How Your OTB Payment Is Calculated and Delivered
For the current 2026–27 benefit year, the CRA uses information from your 2025 tax return to determine your OTB entitlement.
The Ontario Sales Tax Credit does not require a separate application; the CRA automatically determines eligibility from your tax return.
Residents seeking the Ontario Energy and Property Tax Credit or Northern Ontario Energy Credit must complete Form ON-BEN with their 2025 return, since the CRA cannot assess eligibility for those two components without it.
Direct deposit recipients will see the October 9 payment credited to their bank account automatically, and the deposit may appear under the label Canada PRO Deposit in online banking, since the CRA uses that identifier for several provincial and territorial benefit payments.
Recipients without direct deposit will receive a cheque by mail, which typically takes several additional business days to arrive after the scheduled payment date.
If your 2025 return was assessed after June 19, 2026, the CRA applies a four-to-eight-week processing window before your first OTB payment is issued, and any missed months are included as retroactive amounts in that initial deposit.
What to Do if Your October Payment Does Not Arrive
Delayed or missing OTB payments are usually caused by a change in banking information, an unprocessed tax return, or an address update that has not yet taken effect in the CRA’s system.
The CRA recommends waiting 10 working days after the scheduled October 9 date before contacting the benefits inquiry line at 1-800-387-1193.
You can also verify your payment status, entitlement amount, and direct deposit details by signing into CRA My Account at canada.ca.
Updating your banking or mailing information through CRA My Account before the next scheduled payment date helps prevent delays on the November 10 deposit and beyond.
November and December payments will generally continue at the amount established for the current benefit year unless the CRA redetermines the recipient’s entitlement because of updated family or residency information, a tax reassessment, or another relevant change.
Recipients who moved to a different province after October 1 should update their address through CRA My Account promptly, as the CRA checks Ontario residency at the start of each payment month.
When the 2026–27 benefit year concludes with the June 2027 deposit, the CRA will recalculate all OTB entitlements for the new July 2027 to June 2028 cycle using your 2026 income tax return.
Filing your 2026 return before April 30, 2027 will help ensure that the recalculated amounts are ready in time for the first payment of the next benefit year.
The Friday, October 9 OTB deposit continues the 2026–27 benefit cycle with no scheduled changes to the indexed rates that took effect in July.
Eligible recipients on the monthly payment schedule whose 2025 tax return has been assessed should generally receive their regular OTB amount automatically on October 9.
Those who have not yet filed should do so as soon as possible, since the CRA cannot issue any OTB payments until it has assessed the return.
Setting up or confirming direct deposit through CRA My Account remains the fastest way to receive OTB payments and avoid mail-related delays heading into the holiday season.
With rising household costs continuing to affect Ontario families, the Ontario Trillium Benefit remains a reliable source of monthly relief for hundreds of thousands of eligible residents across the province.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
Why is the Ontario Trillium Benefit arriving on October 9 instead of October 10?
The CRA normally issues OTB payments on the 10th of each month. In October 2026, the 10th falls on a Saturday, so the payment moves to the last working day before it, which is Friday, October 9. The same rule shifted the January 2026 payment to January 9 and the May payment to May 8 because those regular payment dates also fell on weekends.
Can I still receive an OTB payment in October if I filed my 2025 tax return late?
Yes, filing your 2025 tax return late does not automatically eliminate your OTB entitlement, but it can delay the payment. If the CRA assesses your return after June 19, 2026, your first OTB payment will generally be issued within four to eight weeks after the assessment and will include any prior-month entitlements you were eligible to receive. If your annual OTB entitlement is more than $500 and you did not choose the deferred lump-sum option, remaining payments will generally continue monthly through June 2027.
What is the maximum Ontario Trillium Benefit a family of four can receive per month in the 2026–27 benefit year?
A Southern Ontario family of four consisting of two adults and two children under 19 could receive up to $2,819 annually if it qualifies for the maximum OSTC and maximum non-senior OEPTC. That works out to approximately $235 per month and combines up to $1,512 in OSTC, or $378 for each of four eligible family members, with up to $1,307 in OEPTC.
If the same family lives in Northern Ontario and also qualifies for the maximum $290 family-rate NOEC, the combined OTB could reach $3,109 annually, or approximately $259 per month. These are maximum amounts and assume the household meets the income requirements and has sufficient eligible housing costs to qualify for the maximum OEPTC.
How do I know if my OTB was paid as a lump sum or if I should expect monthly deposits through June 2027?
If your annual 2026–27 OTB entitlement is $500 or less, the CRA generally issues it as one lump-sum payment in your first payment month, usually July, rather than through monthly deposits. If your entitlement is more than $500, it is normally divided into monthly payments from July 2026 through June 2027.
People entitled to more than $500 can also choose to defer the entire amount and receive one lump-sum payment on June 10, 2027. You can check your OTB payment information and upcoming benefit payments through CRA My Account.
Does the Ontario Trillium Benefit affect my eligibility for other payments like the Canada Child Benefit or ODSP?
The OTB is non-taxable and is not reported as taxable income on your tax return. As a result, receiving an OTB payment does not itself increase the adjusted family net income used to calculate income-tested CRA benefits such as the Canada Child Benefit, Canada Groceries and Essentials Benefit, or Canada Workers Benefit and its advance payments.
For Ontario Disability Support Program recipients, Ontario’s ODSP policy specifically lists Ontario Trillium Benefit payments among refundable tax credits that are exempt from income calculations. This means an OTB payment itself does not reduce a recipient’s ODSP income support.
Fact-Checked: All OTB payment dates, maximum credit amounts, income thresholds, and eligibility criteria cited in this article were verified against the CRA’s official benefits payment dates page and the Ontario Trillium Benefit program information published on Canada.ca as of October 2026.
Disclaimer: This article is for informational purposes only and does not constitute financial or tax advice. Readers should consult a qualified tax professional or review the CRA’s Ontario Trillium Benefit page for guidance specific to their individual circumstances.
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