Ontarians urged to donate $200 rebate cheques to support local charities

While Ontarians anticipate receiving their $200 rebate cheques as soon as this month, one group is encouraging residents to consider donating the money from the province to local charities.

The group, 200dollars.ca, says every dollar donated could produce two meals for someone in need.

“Our aim is to encourage the participation of as many Ontarians as possible,” reads the 200dollars.ca website.

On Oct. 29, 2024, the government announced that it would send Ontario taxpayers a $200 rebate. A news release stated that the payments would “support families… at a time when the cost of living remains stubbornly high.”

According to the province, the rebate is expected to provide $3 billion in support for approximately 12.5 million adults and 2.5 million children. Ontarians should receive their government-issued $200 rebate cheque by the end of January or early February.

“This money belongs to the taxpayers, not the government, and we’re giving it back to the taxpayers where it belongs,” Premier Ford said during the announcement.

The government also proposed providing families who qualify for a Canada Child Benefit for 2024 with an additional $200 for each eligible child under 18. For example, a family of five with two adults and three children would receive $1,000 if eligible.

Opposition leaders have widely criticized it as a gimmick to buy votes ahead of the June 2026 election. While Premier Ford has refused to rule out an early election, opposition parties are preparing for a possible spring or fall contest.

According to December’s Feed Ontario report, food bank usage has outpaced capacity and resources, with 40 per cent of food banks across the province being forced to cut back, including Toronto’s Daily Bread food banks. The report also found that one million Ontarians use food banks to survive.

The Daily Bread Food Bank is bracing for a challenging 2025, with CEO Neil Hetherington saying they now consistently see 10,000-12,000 new visitors monthly.

“If this $200 will make a real difference to your family in a time where the cost of living is most certainly climbing at a rate much faster than most of our incomes, we think you should keep it,” 200dollars.ca noted online.

“But, if the impact of $200 on your overall day-to-day life will not be significant, we hope you’ll consider attempting to stretch those dollars further by pooling our resources towards organizations actively working to address the cost of living for many.”

200dollars.ca works with Canada Helps, an organization that supports over 85,000 Canadian registered charities via digital donations.