Ontario Trillium Benefit Aug 2026: Dates & Amounts

» Quick Answer

» Why Ontarians are watching this August payment

The deposit labelled “Trillium Benefit Ontario” that landed on August 10 is the second installment of a fresh 2026–27 benefit year, and the first full cycle to reflect what you reported on your 2025 tax return.

For most households the August amount matches July within a few cents. For anyone whose 2025 income shifted from 2024, or whose 2025 return was assessed late, the payment can look noticeably different, which is why so many Ontarians are checking figures now rather than back in April when the CRA’s April 2026 benefit payments were still based on 2024 income.

» Quick start: pick your path

The OTB bundles three provincial credits, and how much you receive depends on which of them you qualify for. Use this router before reading further:

• →Single filer, renter, no children: focus on the Ontario Sales Tax Credit and the renter’s calculation of the Ontario Energy and Property Tax Credit.
• →Family or couple with children in Southern Ontario: the Ontario Sales Tax Credit stacks per person, and the Ontario Energy and Property Tax Credit is calculated on household rent or property tax.
• →Senior aged 65 or older: the Ontario Energy and Property Tax Credit uses the higher senior ceiling.
• →Northern Ontario resident (Algoma, Cochrane, Kenora, Manitoulin, Nipissing, Parry Sound, Rainy River, Sudbury, Thunder Bay, or Timiskaming): the Northern Ontario Energy Credit layers on top.
• →Self-employed or incorporated professional filing personally: same three credits apply, but your net income on the T1 return is what drives the phase-out.

» What the Ontario Trillium Benefit actually is

You qualify for the OTB if you qualify for at least one of the three credits inside it. The OSTC is a flat per-person amount for low- and moderate-income Ontarians. The OEPTC is calculated from rent or property tax paid on your principal residence, plus a home-energy component for reserve and long-term care residents. The NOEC is exclusive to the northern districts and layers on top when you qualify.

» 2026–27 amounts versus 2025–26: what the 2% increase means in dollars

The 2% adjustment is smaller than the 2.7% increase applied in 2025–26, reflecting the CRA’s Consumer Price Index calculation. In real dollars for a household at or near the maximum, that translates to about $7 more per person on the sales tax credit, up to $27 more on the energy and property tax credit for seniors, and a modest lift on the Northern Ontario credit.

» Are you eligible for the August 2026 payment

Each component carries its own eligibility rules. The Ontario Sales Tax Credit generally requires you to be 19 or older, married or in a common-law partnership, or a parent living with your child. The Ontario Energy and Property Tax Credit requires that you paid rent or property tax on your Ontario principal residence in 2025, lived in a public long-term care home, or paid home energy costs on a reserve. The Northern Ontario Energy Credit requires the OEPTC criteria plus residence in one of the ten northern districts on December 31, 2025.

» Renters, homeowners, and Northern Ontario residents

The OEPTC calculation shifts with your living situation, which is what causes most of the variance between neighbours who both file for the OTB. A renter reports total rent paid in 2025 on Form ON-BEN; a homeowner reports property tax paid. Long-term care residents report accommodation costs, and reserve residents report home energy costs. The CRA combines that figure with adjusted family net income to calculate the credit.

Northern Ontario households layer the NOEC on top of whichever OEPTC calculation applies, which is why a Thunder Bay family with the same income as a Mississauga family can receive a larger monthly OTB deposit.

» Step-by-step: make sure your OTB is right this month

Run these five checks in order — most take under five minutes.

1. 1
   Confirm the deposit landed.Look for a line item labelled “Trillium Benefit Ontario” or “ON TRILLIUM” dated on or after August 10. Cheque recipients should allow additional postal delivery time.
2. 2
   Compare the amount to July.A large swing usually means your 2025 return was reassessed, your marital status or address changed, or the CRA offset the payment against outstanding tax debt.
3. 3
   Log in to CRA My Account.Payment history, entitlement calculations, and any notices are all visible there. Our practical guide to CRA My Account walks through the setup.
4. 4
   Cross-check your ON-BEN entries.Pull up your 2025 return and confirm the rent, property tax, or home energy costs you reported. An error there is the most common cause of an under-entitlement.
5. 5
   Calendar the remaining 2026 dates.September 10, October 9, November 10, and December 10.

» What to do if your August 10 payment did not arrive

Wait five business days from August 10 before contacting the CRA. Payments issued that day can take a short while to appear, particularly for cheque recipients. If nothing has landed by August 17, log in to CRA My Account and check the “Benefits and credits” panel for a status or notice.

Common causes of a delay: a 2025 tax return assessed after June 19 (catch-up payments typically arrive within four to eight weeks of assessment), an address change not updated with the CRA, or a CRA offset against outstanding tax debt. Our guide to what to do when your CRA refund is delayed covers the same escalation pattern in more depth.

» Common mistakes that shrink or delay your OTB

Six avoidable errors on the 2025 T1 return account for most of the underpayments and delayed deposits our clients ask about. Our post on tax refund tips for Canadian filers covers several of the underlying return-preparation habits.

• →Skipping Form ON-BEN entirely. The OTB is not automatic. You must file the ON-BEN with your T1 return each year, or the CRA has nothing to calculate from.
• →Underreporting rent paid. Renters sometimes forget utilities-inclusive months or a partial-year residence. The full annual figure drives the OEPTC calculation.
• →Forgetting the Northern Ontario designation. Residents of the ten northern districts must tick the NOEC box on ON-BEN, or the credit does not flow through to the deposit.
• →Filing separately from a spouse without coordinating. Only one spouse claims the OTB for the couple, and choosing the wrong one can reduce the family entitlement.
• →Failing to update marital status or address. The CRA calculates OTB using your family situation and mailing province on the payment date, so outdated information may generate an underpayment or a clawback.
• →Ignoring the $360 lump-sum rule. If your total annual OTB entitlement is $360 or less, the CRA issues the full amount as a single July deposit rather than 12 monthly installments. That is a standard CRA rule, not an error.

» Frequently asked questions

Sources & References

1. Canada Revenue Agency — Payment dates for CRA administered benefits and credits: canada.ca/en/revenue-agency/services/child-family-benefits/benefit-payment-dates.html
2. Canada Revenue Agency — Province of Ontario benefit programs: canada.ca/en/revenue-agency/services/child-family-benefits/provincial-territorial-programs/province-ontario.html
3. Canada Revenue Agency — Ontario Trillium Benefit Questions and Answers: canada.ca/en/revenue-agency/services/child-family-benefits/provincial-territorial-programs/ontario-trillium-benefit-questions-answers.html
4. Government of Ontario — Ontario Trillium Benefit: ontario.ca/page/ontario-trillium-benefit