If your GST/HST credit deposit didn’t show up this July, that’s not a mistake — it’s because it’s gone, replaced by a bigger benefit. The Canada Groceries and Essentials Benefit (CGEB) took over in July 2026, paying about 25% more than the old credit. Here’s who qualifies, how much you can get, and when the next payment lands.
What Is the Canada Groceries and Essentials Benefit
The CGEB is a tax-free quarterly payment from the Canada Revenue Agency (CRA) designed to help individuals and families with low and modest incomes manage the cost of groceries and everyday essentials. It replaced the GST/HST credit starting in 2026, with payments about 25% higher than the old credit provided. The first enriched quarterly payment went out July 3, 2026, following a one-time top-up payment in June 2026.
Who Is Eligible
You’re generally eligible for the CGEB if you meet all of the following:
- You’re a resident of Canada for income tax purposes
- You’re at least 19 years old in the month before a quarterly payment (with exceptions if you have a spouse, common-law partner, or child and are under 19)
- Your adjusted family net income is below the CRA’s maximum threshold for your household size
How Much You Can Get
For July 2026 to June 2027, the CRA lists these maximum annual amounts, based on your 2025 tax return:
- Single individual: up to $679 ($445 plus an additional $234 for single people)
- Married or common-law couple: up to $890 ($445 each)
- Each eligible child under 19: up to $234 more
- First child in a single-parent family: $445
So a couple with two children tops out at $1,358 a year ($890 plus 2 × $234), and a single parent with one child at $1,124.
The maximums apply only below an income threshold. The CRA’s own payments chart (2025 base year) shows how the amount shrinks once your adjusted family net income passes about $46,432. The figures below come from that chart and are guidelines, not a promise of what you’ll receive.
| Adjusted family net income | Single, no children | Couple, no children | Couple, 2 children |
|---|---|---|---|
| $15,000 | $513.72 | $890.00 | $1,358.00 |
| $25,000 | $679.00 | $890.00 | $1,358.00 |
| $50,000 | $500.60 | $711.60 | $1,179.60 |
| $55,000 | $250.60 | $461.60 | $929.60 |
| $60,000 | $0.60 | $211.60 | $679.60 |
| $65,000 | $0.00 | $0.00 | $429.60 |
| $75,000 | $0.00 | $0.00 | $0.00 |
A worked example
Say you and your spouse have no children and a combined adjusted family net income of $55,000. The chart puts your yearly amount at $461.60. The CRA pays that in four installments, so each one comes to about $115.40. Now say your household income were $30,000 instead: you’d be under the threshold, so you’d get the full $890, or $222.50 per quarter. The same $25,000 difference in income changes the yearly payment by $428.40.
Adjusted family net income starts with line 23600 of your return (plus your partner’s if you have one), then subtracts any Universal Child Care Benefit and RDSP income and adds back repayments of those amounts. Your amount is recalculated every July from your previous year’s tax return.
Do You Need to Apply
In most cases, no. The CRA automatically determines your eligibility and amount when it assesses your tax return each year — you just need to file your taxes, even if you have no income to report. New residents of Canada may need to apply for the first year they become a resident.
Payment Dates
The CRA has confirmed these dates so far for the 2026-27 benefit year:
- July 3, 2026 (paid)
- October 5, 2026 (paid)
- January 2027 (exact date not yet posted by the CRA)
- April 2027 (exact date not yet posted by the CRA)
If your quarterly payment would come to less than $50, the CRA doesn’t split it up. Instead, you receive the full amount as a single payment in July.
If a payment doesn’t show up
Work through these in order:
- Wait 10 working days after the payment date before contacting the CRA, which is the CRA’s own guidance.
- Check that you filed your 2025 tax return. The CRA works out your eligibility and amount from the return you file, so there’s nothing to calculate without one.
- Confirm your income. If your adjusted family net income is above the cutoff for your household in the table above, the benefit is $0 and no payment is expected.
- Make sure your address, banking details, and marital status are current in CRA My Account, since payments are based on the information the CRA has on file.
What about the June top-up?
To ease the transition, Finance Canada announced a one-time top-up equal to 50% of the 2025-26 annual GST/HST credit amount. It went to people who were entitled to the credit in January 2026 and had filed their 2024 tax return. It’s separate from the quarterly payments and won’t repeat.
FAQ
Is this the same as the old GST/HST credit?
It replaces the GST/HST credit. According to the CRA, eligibility, payment calculation and structure are the same as the GST/HST credit’s, but the benefit amount is about 25% higher.
What if my income changed this year?
Your CGEB amount is based on your most recently assessed tax return, so a change in income will generally show up the next time your benefit is recalculated (each July).
Related: Who Qualifies for the Canada Workers Benefit in 2026, and How Much Could You Get? · Already Getting OAS? You Might Be Missing This Extra Monthly Payment
Related reading: If you have dental expenses, check whether you also qualify for the Canadian Dental Care Plan.
This article is for general informational purposes and is not tax or financial advice. Benefit amounts and thresholds can change — always confirm current details on Canada.ca or with the CRA before making financial decisions.
Maximum Payments Per Quarter
The yearly maximums are paid in four installments, so it helps to see what lands in your account each time. These are the yearly amounts from the CRA divided by four, for people whose income is low enough to get the full amount:
| Household | Maximum per year | About per quarter |
|---|---|---|
| Single individual | $679 | $169.75 |
| Couple, no children | $890 | $222.50 |
| Single parent, one child | $1,124 | $281.00 |
| Couple, two children | $1,358 | $339.50 |
| Each additional child under 19 | $234 | $58.50 |
Estimating Your Amount Between the Chart Rows
The chart above gives amounts in $5,000 steps, but your own income probably falls somewhere in between. In the part of the chart where the benefit is shrinking, the amount drops by $50 for every extra $1,000 of income (the same as 5 cents per dollar above the roughly $46,432 starting point). For example, a single person with an adjusted family net income of $52,000 sits between the $50,000 row ($500.60) and the $55,000 row ($250.60). Moving $2,000 above the $50,000 row removes $100, so the estimate is about $400.60 a year, or roughly $100 per quarter. This is a back-of-the-envelope estimate based on the chart, so rely on the CRA’s notice for your actual number.
How the Switch From GST/HST to CGEB Played Out
| Payment date | What it was | Based on which tax return |
|---|---|---|
| January 5, 2026 | GST/HST credit | 2024 return |
| April 2, 2026 | GST/HST credit | 2024 return |
| June 2026 | One-time top-up | Entitled to the credit in January 2026 |
| July 3, 2026 | First CGEB payment | 2025 return |
| October 5, 2026 | CGEB | 2025 return |
The CRA says the 25% increase to the benefit amount started in July 2026 and is set to remain for five years, from 2026 to 2031. The CRA also states that eligibility, payment calculation and structure are the same as the GST/HST credit, so if you were getting the credit before, you do not need to do anything new.
Which Situation Are You In?
- You filed your 2025 return and your income is modest. Nothing to do. The CRA calculates your amount and pays it automatically.
- You haven’t filed your 2025 return yet. File as soon as you can. The CRA says that if you missed entitled amounts, you will receive retroactive payments in the next scheduled payment after you file.
- You are about to turn 19. The CRA lists a first payment when you turn 19, so file your taxes in the year you turn 19 even if you had little or no income.
- You just moved to Canada. You may need to apply for the first year, as noted above.
- Your relationship status changed. Update your marital status in CRA My Account, because household income is used to calculate the benefit.
Common Mistakes
- Not filing because you have no income. Without a filed return, the CRA has nothing to base a payment on.
- Calling the CRA too early. The CRA asks you to wait 10 business days after the expected payment date before calling.
- Expecting the top-up to repeat. It was a one-time payment tied to the transition.
- Leaving out your partner’s details. The benefit is based on family income, so make sure your spouse or common-law partner’s information is correct and current with the CRA.