Ontario aiming to send out $200 rebate cheques later this month or early February

Ontarians should receive their $200 rebate cheque from the province by the end of January or early February, a government spokesperson confirmed in an email Friday.

Premier Doug Ford had teased in late October that taxpayers in Ontario could expect their cheque by “early” 2025, but the exact timeline had not yet been publicly announced.

Ford said at the time that the money will help residents navigate the high cost of living and the federal carbon tax.

Taxpayers don’t need to apply for the credit. It will be delivered to all Ontarians who were 18 years or older at the end of 2023 and filed their income tax for that year by the end of last month.

• What you need to know about the $200 rebates for Ontario taxpayers

Ontario residents with children stand to receive an additional $200 per eligible child under the age of 18.

Anyone who was incarcerated or bankrupt in 2024 will not receive the benefit.

The government said the initiative will cost the province $3 billion.

Ford announced the cheques amid rumours of a possible early election, but has rebuffed accusations from the opposition that the rebate is a “gimmick.” The next time Ontarians are scheduled to head to the polls is June 2026, but Ford hasn’t ruled out an election for this year.