File Your Taxes to Get Ontario Tax Credits and Benefits

People, including those who didn’t make any income last year, must file an income tax return to claim the various tax credits and benefits they may be eligible for, including:

• The Ontario Seniors’ Public Transit Tax Credit, which helps eligible people 65 years or older with the cost of public transit
• The Ontario Child Benefit, which provides families up to $117 per child, per month, for children under 18
• The Ontario Trillium Benefit, which combines three tax credits into one to help people, including students, with the cost of energy, property taxes and sales taxes
• The Senior Homeowners’ Property Tax Grant, which provides homeowners 64 or older with up to $500 to help with the cost of property taxes
• The new Ontario Caregiver Tax Credit, which provides relief for those caring for a family member who is dependent because of a health condition.

Ontario also offers a number of tax credits for businesses, including the Co-operative Education Tax Credit that helps companies hire co-op students and the Ontario Research and Development Tax Credit.

People are encouraged to visit Ontario.ca/taxcredits to learn more about tax credits and benefits and to try Ontario’s tax credit calculator, which helps people determine how much money they could get by filing a tax return this year.

Ontario’s plan to create fairness and opportunity during this period of rapid economic change includes a higher minimum wage and better working conditions, free tuition for hundreds of thousands of students, easier access to affordable child care, and free prescription drugs for everyone under 25 through the biggest expansion of medicare in a generation.

QUICK FACTS

• Even if people do not have income to report, they still must file a tax return to qualify for tax credits and benefits.
• People should always do their research before hiring someone to file their taxes — choosing a company with a good reputation or hiring someone who is properly trained.
• Ontario cut the small business corporate income tax rate by 22 per cent, from 4.5 per cent to 3.5 per cent, effective January 1, 2018.
• Most Canadian income tax and benefit returns for 2017 are due on April 30, 2018. If you or your spouse or common-law partner is self-employed, you have until June 15, 2018.

ADDITIONAL RESOURCES

• Ontario.ca/taxcredits
• Canada Revenue Agency

CONTACTS

For public inquiries:
1-800-337-7222
TTY: 1-800-263-7776

Jessica Martin
Minister’s Office
416-212-5181
jessica.martin@ontario.ca

Scott Blodgett
Ministry of Finance
416-325-0324
scott.blodgett@ontario.ca