Have you noticed a deposit in your bank account with the description “Canada PRO?” Maybe you’re wondering where it came from. A Canada PRO payment is the description given to direct deposit payments from the Canada Revenue Agency (CRA) on behalf of the Ontario or Alberta provincial governments.
Both governments offer benefit programs to help Canadian families cover energy, sales tax, property tax, and childcare costs.
This article outlines everything you need to know about the Canada PRO deposit program in 2024.
What is the Canada PRO deposit?
Low to moderate income individuals and families in Ontario and Alberta may qualify for a Canada PRO benefit. The Canada PRO title is short for “Canada Provincial,” as the payments are funded by the Ontario and Alberta provincial governments.
The Ontario trillium benefit (OTB) is a program funded by the Province of Ontario. The purpose is to help Canadians pay for high home energy costs, as well as sales and property taxes. It combines multiple payments, including:
- Ontario energy and property tax credit
- Northern Ontario energy credit
- Ontario sales tax credit
The Alberta child and family benefit (ACFB) is a tax-free payment funded by the Alberta government and provided to families that have kids under the age of 18 years.
Eligibility for the 2024 benefit year
To ensure you are eligible for the 2024 Canada PRO benefits program, make sure you file your tax return on time, even if you don’t earn any income.
Canada PRO Deposits in Ontario
Below are the eligibility requirements for the three Ontario benefit programs that make up the Ontario Trillium Benefit.
Ontario Energy and Property Tax Credit (OEPTC)
The OEPTC benefit is designed to help low to moderate Ontario families absorb some of the costs of energy sales tax and property taxes. You can apply for the OEPTC if you are eligible for either the energy sales tax or property tax component.
To qualify for any of OEPTC, you must meet one of the following criteria before June 1, 2024:
- 18 years or older
- Have or previously had a spouse or common-law partner
- A parent who lives or previously lived with your child
To be eligible, you must meet at least one of the following:
- You paid rent or property taxes on your principal residence in Ontario in 2022
- You paid accommodation costs for living in a public or non-profit long-term care home in Ontario in 2022
- You paid your electricity or heat bill in your primary residence on a reserve in 2022
- You lived in a university, college, or private school residence in Ontario in 2022
Northern Ontario Energy Credit (NOEC)
If you live in Northern Ontario and have low to moderate income, you may qualify for the Northern Ontario energy credit (NOEC).
The NOEC benefit is designed to help residents handle the higher energy costs associated with living up north.
To qualify for any of NOEC, you must meet one of the following criteria before June 1, 2024:
- 18 years or older
- Have or previously had a spouse or common-law partner
- A parent who lives or previously lived with your child
In addition, you must be a Northern Ontario resident on December 31, 2022 and have:
- Rented or paid property tax for your primary residence
- Paid accommodation costs for living in a public or nonprofit long-term care home
- Lived on a reserve and paid your electricity or heating costs
Eligible locations in Northern Ontario include:
- Algoma
- Cochrane
- Kenora
- Manitoulin
- Nipissing
- Parry Sound
- Rainy River
- Sudbury
- Thunder Bay
- Timiskaming
Ontario sales tax credit (OSTC)
The Ontario sales tax credit is a tax-free payment meant to help relieve the burden of sales tax payments among low to moderate-income residents. You do not need to apply for OSTC, the CRA will use the information on your 2022 income tax and benefits return to determine payments.
To qualify for any of OSTC, you must meet one of the following criteria before June 1, 2024:
- 19 years or older
- Have or previously had a spouse or common-law partner
- A parent who lives or previously lived with your child
Canada PRO deposits in Alberta
Alberta also offers a Canada PRO benefit program, the Alberta Child and Family Benefit to eligible individuals.
Alberta Child and Family Benefit (ACFB)
To qualify for the ACFB, you must meet the following criteria:
- You’re a parent of one or more children under 18 years
- You’re a resident of Alberta
- You’ve filed a tax return
- You meet income criteria
How to apply
Ontario Trillium Benefit
To receive the Ontario Trillium Benefit, you must apply each year by filing your personal income tax and benefit return and completing the ON-BEN Application Form. You must file your taxes, even if you didn’t make any income.
Alberta Child and Family Benefit
You are automatically considered for the ACFB Canada PRO payments when you file your annual income tax return and qualify for the Canada child benefit (CCB).
Payment details
To calculate how much of the Ontario trillium benefit and Alberta child and family benefit you may be eligible for, you can use the child and family benefits calculator.
Ontario Trillium Benefit
The OTB is a combined payment that includes the Ontario energy and property tax credit, the Northern Ontario energy credit, and the Ontario sales tax credit. The payment amount depends on the following criteria:
- Age
- Income
- Residence
- Family size
- Amount paid in rent or property tax
Payments are typically divided evenly and paid out each month.
Your 2023 payments are based on your 2022 income and benefit return and are issued on the 10th of each month, starting in July 2023.
Northern Ontario Energy Credit
The maximum benefit amount for the NOEC in 2023 is:
- $172 if you’re single
- $265 for families
Ontario Energy and Property Tax Credit
The maximum annual benefit for OEPTC in 2023 is:
- $1,194 for those 18 to 64 years old
- $1,360 for those 65 and over
- $265 if you live on a reserve or in public long-term care
- $25 for the time you live in a designated college, university, or private school residence in 2022
Ontario Sales Credit
The maximum benefit for the OSC for 2023 is:
- $345
It’s also possible to receive an additional credit of up to $345 for your spouse or common-law partner, or for each of your dependent children under the age of 19 years old.
Alberta Child and Family Benefit
The CRA makes payments on behalf of the ACFB program. Your payment will be mailed to you or directly deposited into your bank account by the CRA in four installments. The Canada PRO payment dates are:
- August
- November
- February
- May
The amount of money you will receive depends on your family's income and how many kids you have.
There are two different components to the ACFB:
- Base component: Available to lower-income families with kids even if they don’t earn employment income.
- Working component: You might also be eligible for the working component if your family’s employment income exceeds $2,760. The more you work, the more income you can receive. This benefit is meant to encourage families to join or remain in the workforce.
Families with an income of $25,935 or less are eligible for the full benefit amounts, for both the base and working components.
If you have an adjusted family net income between $25, 935 and $43,460, you may receive partial benefits.
Canada PRO: Tax implications
Both the Ontario trillium benefit and Alberta child family benefit are tax-free benefits. This means you are not taxed on the money you receive.
The Bottom Line
If you see the “Canada PRO” description pop up on your bank statement, now you know where it comes from. The CRA is sending you direct deposit payments on behalf of the provincial government, in Ontario or Alberta. To ensure you are continually eligible for these benefits, file your taxes on time each year, even if you don’t earn any income.
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