Here are the benefit cheques for the rest of December in Ontario

A final round of benefit cheques will be sent out this month, providing support to those facing rising costs and financial challenges this holiday season.

Here’s a look at the payments being issued for the remainder of December, including updates on the Canada Post strike impacting cheque deliveries and steps to take if you’ve missed a payment.

Canadian Pension Plan and Old Age Security

The Canadian retirement benefits system includes the Old Age Security pension, guaranteed income supplement, allowance, and allowance for the survivor, along with the Canadian Pension Plan.

• CPP: Residents over 65 are eligible for a maximum monthly payment of $1,306.57.
• OAS Pension: Individuals aged 65 to 74 with an annual income below $148,451 can receive up to $707.68 per month. Those 75 and over with an income below $154,196 may receive up to $880.44 monthly.

Eligible individuals should note that the OAS pension is reviewed quarterly—in January, April, July, and October—to reflect increases in the cost of living based on the Consumer Price Index. Importantly, payments will not decrease if the cost of living goes down.

Here is the final payment date for this year:

• Dec. 20

Veteran disability pension

The veteran disability pension is a tax-free monthly payment that supports veterans and service members with service-related injuries or illnesses. The next payment date is:

• Dec. 23

Eligibility includes Canadian Armed Forces members, RCMP members, and Second World War or Korean War veterans, including some who served in the Second World War. Recipients can choose either Pain and Suffering Compensation—a lifetime monthly or lump sum payment—or a Disability Pension with added support for dependents.

Child Tax Credit

The Canada Revenue Agency (CRA) oversees the tax-free monthly Child Tax Credit benefit, designed for eligible families supporting children under 18. The CCB may incorporate the child disability benefit along with relevant provincial and territorial programs. The last payment was sent out earlier this week:

• Dec. 13

The Ontario Child Benefit offers up to $1,607 annually per child, depending on an individual’s family net income and the number of children under 18 in their care.

Working Canadians Rebate 

The $250 Working Canadians rebate is anticipated to provide much-needed relief to employed residents and will be sent out in April 2025.

In addition, the Canadian government recently announced a GST break that will run from Dec. 14 to Feb. 15. This tax relief will apply to items such as children’s clothing and footwear, toys, diapers, restaurant meals and alcoholic beverages like beer and wine.

Carbon Pricing Refund

Small and medium-sized businesses in Canada are set to receive long-awaited carbon pricing refunds by the end of this year, according to Finance Minister Chrystia Freeland.

The federal government will distribute over $2.5 billion to approximately 600,000 businesses in December.

These payments will cover carbon price revenues collected from 2019 to 2024 in provinces where the federal fuel charge applies.

The amount each business receives will vary based on location and workforce size. Additionally, the government has finalized a 25 per cent tariff on certain Chinese-made aluminum and steel products, effective Oct. 22, while a 100 per cent tariff on Chinese-made electric vehicles came into effect on Oct. 20.

Postal strike and cheque delays

As a result of the Canada Post strike, benefit cheques for the Canada Child Benefit (CCB) and related provincial and territorial programs are now scheduled for delivery on Dec. 20, 2024, a week later than originally planned.

However, the CRA states that individuals registered for direct deposit will not be affected and payments will be issued as scheduled.

If you’ve missed some payments, here’s how you can get them

Residents who have applied for any of these benefits can check the status of their payments online in their “My Account” if they have created an account on the CRA website.

The Canadian government emphasizes that these cheques never expire.

The CRA cannot void the original cheque and reissue a new one unless requested by the account holder. This process involves verification, potentially requiring the completion of forms and the issuance of a replacement cheque if deemed necessary.

If you haven’t received a payment or missed some, the CRA suggests waiting ten days from the payment date before reaching out. Those without a CRA account or who do not have email notifications set up can check on uncashed cheques or missed payments by calling 1-800-959-8281.