Canada PRO Deposit – What Is It?

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Rafael Ferreira

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Are you wondering what the Canada PRO deposit in your online banking/bank statement is and why you received it? 

Canada PRO is a Canada Revenue Agency (CRA) payment. 

If you recently received a Canada PRO deposit, then you were found to be eligible for this tax credit after CRA assessed your taxes. 

What is Canada PRO?

Canada PRO acronym stands for “Provincial” and are provincial benefits. 

Canada PRO benefit assists eligible low and moderate-income earners in Ontario and Alberta.

The tax credit from CRA shows up as Canada PRO on your bank statement and direct deposit.

You will only receive the Canada PRO deposit if you file an income tax return, and upon CRA’s assessment, you are eligible for the tax credit.

Canada PRO Deposit Dates 2023

The Canada Pro deposits in Ontario are linked to the Ontario Trillium Benefits.

Canada PRO in Ontario – Ontario Trillium Benefit Payment Dates

Ontario Trillium payment dates for 2023 are:

  • January 10, 2023
  • February 10, 2023
  • March 10, 2023
  • April 6, 2023
  • May 10, 2023
  • June 9, 2023
  • July 10, 2023
  • August 10, 2023
  • September 8, 2023
  • October 10, 2023
  • November 10, 2023
  • December 8, 2023

Ontario Trillium Benefits (OTB) combines the following three credits, and you must be eligible for one or more to receive the Trillium benefit.

  • Northern Ontario Energy Credit
  • Ontario Energy and Property Tax Credit
  • Ontario Sales Tax Credit

Canada PRO in Alberta – Alberta Child and Family Benefit Payment Dates

The Canada PRO deposits in Alberta are linked to the Alberta Child and Family Benefits (ACFB).

Alberta Child and Family Benefit Payment Dates for 2023 are:

  • February 27, 2023
  • May 26, 2023
  • August 25, 2023
  • November 27, 2023

The ACFB combines two social assistance programs

  • Alberta Child Benefits
  • Alberta Family Employment Tax Credit

Who is eligible to receive Canada PRO deposits?

Canadians residing in Ontario and Alberta are eligible for the Canada PRO deposits if they qualify for the benefit.

Each of the four tax credits mentioned above in the OTB and ACFB has its requirements to receive these credits.

Northern Ontario Energy Credit

Northern Ontario residents in the regions below are eligible for this tax credit as the cost of energy bills in the north is more.

  • Algoma 
  • Rainy River 
  • Timiskaming 
  • Thunder Bay 
  • Cochrane 
  • Sudbury 
  • Manitoulin
  • Nipissing
  • Kenora
  • Parry Sound

To qualify for the Northern Ontario Energy Credit, you must be a resident of Northern Ontario on December 31, 2022, and at least one of the following at some time before June 1, 2024:

  • Be 18 years of age or older
  • You have or previously had a spouse or common-law partner
  • Be a parent who lives or previously lived with your child

And, in 2022, you:

  • Rented or paid property tax for your main residence
  • Lived in a public long-term care home, and you paid for a portion of your accommodation
  • Lived on a reserve and paid for your home energy costs

Ontario Energy and Property Tax Credit (OEPTC)

The OEPTC has two parts – an energy part and a property tax part, and you can apply for either part if you are eligible.

To be eligible, you must be a resident of Ontario on December 31, 2022, and at least one of the following at some time before June 1, 2024:

  • Be 18 years of age or older
  • Be currently or previously married or in a common-law relationship
  • Be a parent who lives or previously lived with your child

And, in 2022, at least one of the following apply to you:

  • You paid property tax for your main residence
  • You rented, and your landlord was required to pay property tax for your main residence 
  • You lived on a reserve and paid for your home energy costs
  • You lived in a public long-term care home and spent an amount for your accommodation

Ontario Sales Tax Credit

To be eligible for the Ontario Sales Tax Credit, you must be an Ontario resident at some time before June 1, 2024, and at least one of the following:

  • Be 19 years of age or older
  • Be currently or previously married or in a common-law relationship
  • Be a parent who lives or previously lived with your child

Alberta Child and Family Benefit

To be eligible for the ACFB, you must:

  • Be a parent of one or more children under 18
  • Be a resident of Alberta
  • Have filed a tax return
  • Meet the income criteria

How Much Can You Expect?

Ontario Trillium Benefit

If you are eligible for more than one credit in Ontario, it will be combined into one payment under the Ontario Trillium Benefit.

For the 2023 benefit year, if you qualify for the following:

  • For more than $360, you will have a choice. Monthly payments starting July 2023 or a single payment in June 2024. You get the same total amount regardless of which option you choose
  • $360 or less, you will receive a single payment in July 2023
  • more than $2 but less than $10, it will be increased to $10
  • $2 or less, you will not receive a payment

Northern Ontario Energy Credit

If you are eligible:

  • A single person could receive a maximum of $172.
  • Families could receive a maximum of $265.

Ontario Energy and Property Tax Credit

If you are eligible for OEPTC credit, you could get a maximum of the following:

  • $1,194 if you are between 18 and 64 years old
  • $1,360 if you are 65 or older
  • $265 if you live on a reserve or in a public long-term care home
  • $25 for the time you lived in a designated college, university, or private school residence in 2022

Ontario Sales Tax Credit

If you are eligible:

  • You can receive up to $345.
  • You may receive an additional credit of up to $345 for your spouse or common-law partner and each dependent child who is under 19 years of age. 

Alberta Child and Family Benefit

The ACFB amount you receive is based on how many children you have under 18 and your family’s income level.

The ACFB has two scales – the base component and the working component- based on household income.

Lower-income families with children can receive the base component even if they have no employment income.

Working families with income exceeding $2,760 can receive the working component.

The maximum ACFB amounts for 2023 are as follows:

Number of ChildrenBase ComponentWorking Component
1 Child$1,410$722
2 Children$2,115$1,379
3 Children$2,820$1,772
4+ Children$3,525$1,902

How To Apply For Canada PRO

When you file your taxes, you automatically register and qualify for a Canada PRO deposit.

Even if you didn’t earn any money in a tax year, you should file your taxes to be eligible for Canada benefit payments.

If you qualify for the Canada PRO deposit, the ACFB and Ontario Sales Tax Credit are automatically calculated and applied to your tax return. 

However, you must complete an extra application (form ON-BEN) for the Northern Ontario Energy Credit and the Ontario Energy and Property Tax Credit.

How is Canada PRO paid?

Canada PRO tax credits are paid through direct deposit to your bank account from the Canada Revenue Agency (CRA).

You’ll receive the Canada PRO payment by cheque if you haven’t set up a direct deposit through your CRA MyAccount.

Is Canada PRO Deposit taxable?

Canada PRO payment is not taxable. Canada PRO is not considered income and has no impact on your taxes.

Final Thoughts

Canada PRO benefit is an assistance program to help with the cost of living.

As long as you are eligible for a tax credit based on your yearly tax filing, you’ll receive a Canada PRO deposit. 

The Canada PRO deposit is one of many abbreviations for federal government payments you receive. 

Let me know in the comments if you received a Canada PRO deposit.

And if this post helped you learn something new, share it with others.

Written by Sunil Raaj.