Here are the benefit cheques that will be sent the first 3 months of 2024 in Canada

The Christmas holidays can be tough financially, so knowing when some extra benefit cheques are coming could help out.

Many Canadians are eligible for benefits  or credits — depending on income, where they live and the number of dependents they support. The amount residents receive is normally determined through income tax filings.

So it’s important to file your taxes in order to be eligible.

Benefits cheques or direct deposits arrive from Revenue Canada throughout the year.

Here are the benefit cheques eligible residents will receive in the first three months of 2024:

Ontario Trillium Benefit

The Ontario Trillium Benefit is the combined payment of the Ontario energy and property tax credit, the Northern Ontario energy credit, and the Ontario sales tax credit programs. The payments are designed to help low- to moderate-income Ontario residents with the sales tax on energy and property taxes.

Videos

Read More

Read More

Learn more

Read More

Normally payments are issued monthly but if your annual 2023 Ontario Trillium Benefit entitlement is more than $360, you can choose one payment at the end of the benefit year, in June 2024, instead of receiving monthly payments from July 2023 to June 2024.

The first payments of 2024 should arrive on Jan. 10, Feb. 9 and March 8.

GST/HST credit

The goods and services tax/harmonized sales tax (GST/HST) credit is a tax-free quarterly payment that helps individuals and families with low and modest incomes offset the GST or HST that they pay.

The maximum a single person would get for the entire 2023/24 payment year (July 2023 to June 2024) is $496. Couples can get up to $650, plus an additional $171 for each child under the age of 19.

The first payment of 2024 is Jan. 5.  (GST/HST credit payments arrive on the fifth day of July, October, January, and April)

Climate Action Incentive Payment

The Climate Action Incentive Payment is a tax-free amount paid to help individuals and families offset the cost of the federal pollution pricing. It is available to residents of Alberta, Saskatchewan, Manitoba and Ontario.

The Ontario program provides an annual credit of $488 for an individual, $244 for a spouse or common-law partner, $122 per child under 19 years old, and $244 for the first child in a single-parent family.

Like the GST/HST credit, there is only one payment in the first quarter of 2024. It should arrive on Jan. 15 for eligible residents.

Advanced Canada Workers Benefit

This benefit helps lower-income households deal with rising inflation. It was enhanced in 2023 to expand eligibility.

Canada Workers Benefit will provide up to $2,616 total for an eligible family, and $1,518 total for eligible single workers, split between three advance payments this fiscal year (in July 2023, October 2023, and January 2024)

There is only one payment in the first quarter of 2024 — Jan. 12.

Canada Child Benefit

The Canada Child Benefit is a monthly benefit for eligible families to help with the cost of raising children under 18 years of age. The benefit may include the child disability benefit and related provincial and territorial programs.

Eligible families will receive payments on Jan. 19, Feb. 20 and March 20, 2024.

Canada Pension Plan and Old Age Security

Canada Pension Plan benefits are monthly retirement pensions paid out to people at least 60 years old. The payments are not automatic, people must apply. Service Canada may automatically enrol people for the Old Age Security pension when they are 65 years of age or older.

The first three payments of 2024 should arrive on Jan. 29, Feb. 27, and March 26, 2024.

For more information on Canada Revenue benefit payments, see the website here.