Do I need to live on a reserve or a public long-term care home to be eligible for OEPTC?

[ayseleren18 · Accepted solution]

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As per CRA, the OEPTC has two components: an energy component and a property tax component. You should apply for the OEPTC if you are eligible for either component.

You may be eligible for the energy component for 2021, if:

• you were a resident of Ontario on December 31, 2020, and one of the following conditions applies:
  • you will be 18 years of age or older before June 1, 2022
  • you had a spouse or common-law partner on or before December 31, 2020 or
  • you are a parent who lives or previously lived with your child (see question 19) and
• for 2020, at least one of the following conditions applies to you:
  • rent for your principal residence, which was subject to Ontario municipal or education property tax, was paid by or for you
  • property tax for your principal residence in Ontario was paid by or for you
  • you lived on a reserve in Ontario and home energy costs (for example, electricity, heat) for your principal residence on the reserve were paid by or for you or
  • you lived in a public or non-profit long-term care home in Ontario and an amount for accommodation was paid by or for you

You may be eligible for the property tax component for 2021 if:

• you were a resident of Ontario on December 31, 2020, and one of the following conditions applies:
  • you will be 18 years of age or older before June 1, 2022
  • you had a spouse or common-law partner on or before December 31, 2020 or
  • you are a parent who lives or previously lived with your child (see question 19) and
• for 2020, at least one of the following conditions applied to you:
  • rent for your principal residence, which was subject to Ontario municipal or education property tax, was paid by or for you
  • property tax for your principal residence was paid by or for you or
  • you lived in a designated Ontario university, college, or private school residence

Because it is said that you have to have at least one of them, you don't have to have all three qualifications together. If you have at least one of these qualifications, you can apply for OEPTC. This means that you don't have to live in a reserve or a public long-term care home. If you rented or paid property tax for your main residence, you can also apply for OEPTC.

Please see our TurboTax article on Can you claim rent in Ontario?  to learn more about the OEPTC.