Canada Groceries and Essentials Benefit 2026-27: who qualifies, amounts, dates and official sources
Quick summary
The CRA says the GST/HST credit was renamed the Canada Groceries and Essentials Benefit (CGEB) as of July 2026. From July 2026 to June 2027 you can get up to $679 if you are single, $890 if you have a partner, and $234 for each child under 19. You do not apply separately. Filing your tax return is the key step. See thebenefit payment dates page.
Checked November 12, 2026. Main source: CRA: Canada Groceries and Essentials Benefit, how much you can get (modified July 15, 2026). See all 10 sources.
Key facts
- Who qualifies
- Residents of Canada who are 19 or older, or under 19 with a partner or a child, and who file a tax return
- Source: CRA, publication RC4210, modified July 2, 2026
- July 2026 to June 2027
- Up to $679 single, $890 with a partner, $234 per child under 19
- Source: CRA, modified July 15, 2026
- Replaces
- The GST/HST credit, renamed as of July 2026
- Source: CRA, modified July 8, 2026
- 2026 payment dates
- Jan. 5, Apr. 2, July 3 and Oct. 5
- Source: CRA, modified June 8, 2026
- How to get it
- File your tax return. There is no separate application
- Source: CRA, modified July 15, 2026
How much you can get from July 2026 to June 2027
| Who | Up to |
|---|---|
| Single person | $679 |
| Married or common-law partner | $890 |
| Each child under 19 | $234 |
The amount is based on your 2025 tax return and is recalculated every July. Source: CRA, modified July 15, 2026.
Who qualifies
- You are a resident of Canada for income tax purposes at the end of the month before a payment and at the start of the month of the payment.
- You are at least 19. If you are under 19, you can still qualify if you have, or had, a spouse or common-law partner, or you are, or were, a parent living with your child.
- You file a tax return for the base year (2025 for July 2026 to June 2027), even with no income. The CRA then decides for you.
- You, and your partner if you have one, have a Social Insurance Number.
- Your adjusted family net income is below the limit on the CRA chart. The limit is different for single people and for couples.
- Generally, you do not qualify while you are in prison or a similar place for at least 90 days in a row. A person who has died does not qualify.
Sources: CRA, Canada Groceries and Essentials Benefit, who is eligible; CRA publication RC4210 (2026-2027 period, modified July 2, 2026).
Children, shared custody and newcomers
- A child must be under 19, live with you, and never have had a spouse or common-law partner or been a parent of a child they lived with.
- If you get the Canada child benefit (CCB) for a child, the CRA counts that child for you automatically. If not, register the child in CRA My Account (Apply for child benefits) or with Form RC66.
- In shared custody, each parent may get half of the amount for the child. If you become the one mainly responsible for the child, your amounts can go up.
- You are generally not eligible for a child who is in the care of a child welfare agency.
- If you are new to Canada, send Form RC151 for the year you became a resident.
Sources: CRA, who is eligible; CRA publication RC4210 (modified July 2, 2026).
Provincial and territorial credits paid with it
Some provinces add their own credit. You do not apply separately for these. With direct deposit, they are paid into the same account as your CGEB. The CRA guide lists the programs below. Manitoba is not on that list.
| Program | Up to | Reduced when |
|---|---|---|
| New Brunswick HST credit | $300 per adult, $100 per child | Income is over $35,000 |
| Nova Scotia affordable living tax credit | $255 individual or couple, $60 per child | Income is over $30,000 |
| Ontario sales tax credit | $378 per adult and per child under 19 | Income is over $29,047 (single) or $36,309 (single parent or couple) |
| Saskatchewan low-income tax credit | $460 per adult, $181 per child (up to 2) | Income is over $39,345 |
| Newfoundland and Labrador income supplement | $520 single, $589 with a spouse, $231 per child | The guide does not say |
| Prince Edward Island essentials benefit (from November 2026) | $310 single, $365 couples and single parents | The guide does not say |
Source: CRA publication RC4210, 2026-2027 payment period (modified July 2, 2026). Rules for each program are on the CRA page, so check it for your province.
What Finance Canada says about a bigger benefit
Finance Canada's July 3, 2026 news release says the benefit builds on the GST credit and is increased by 25% for five years. It gives higher figures for some households: up to $950 for a single person and $1,890 for a family of four in 2026-27.
Those totals are not the same as the CRA's maximums above, and the CRA pages we read do not explain the difference. For your own amount, use your CRA My Account or the CRA payments chart. If you are unsure, call the CRA.
Sources: Finance Canada news release, July 3, 2026; CRA, how much you can get (modified July 15, 2026).
If your payment is late, or your life changes
- Payments are made on the 5th of July and October 2026, and January and April 2027. If the 5th falls on a weekend or federal holiday, it is paid the business day before.
- If a payment is late, wait 10 working days, then call the CRA at 1-800-387-1193.
- Tell the CRA about a change in marital status by the end of the month after it happens. A separation counts after at least 90 days.
- Tell the CRA when a child is born, moves in or out, or begins living with you part of the time.
- Update your address right away, or payments can stop.
- If you get less than $50 a quarter, the full year's amount is paid in July 2026.
Source: CRA publication RC4210 (modified July 2, 2026).
The CRA income chart (adjusted family net income)
The CRA publishes a yearly chart. Here are some rows for people with no children, as printed by the CRA. The chart is a guideline only, and the CRA does not explain what to do for incomes between two rows.
| Adjusted family net income | Single, no children | Couple, no children |
|---|---|---|
| Under $11,564 (single) / under $46,432 (couple) | $445.00 | $890.00 |
| $25,000 | $679.00 | $890.00 |
| $45,000 | $679.00 | $890.00 |
| $50,000 | $500.60 | $711.60 |
| $55,000 | $250.60 | $461.60 |
| $60,000 | $0.60 | $211.60 |
| $65,000 | $0.00 | $0.00 |
Source: CRA payments chart, July 2026 to June 2027 (2025 base year), modified June 8, 2026. The full chart also lists one to four-plus children.
When it is paid
The CRA lists 2026 payment dates of January 5, April 2, July 3 and October 5. The January and April 2026 payments were GST/HST credit payments. The July and October payments are under the CGEB. The next ones are January 5 and April 5, 2027. If your amount per quarter is under $50, you get the whole year's amount in one payment in July.
Next payment
Tuesday, January 5, 2027
That is 53 days away.
Source: CRA payment dates page (modified June 8, 2026) and publication RC4210 (modified July 2, 2026), which says the 5th of January and April 2027, or the business day before if the 5th falls on a weekend or federal holiday. Whether you get a payment depends on your tax return and the CRA income chart below.
Source: CRA payment dates page, modified June 8, 2026. The chart page lists the four payments of the year as July 2026, October 2026, January 2027 and April 2027.
The single top-up in June 2026
The CRA announced a single top-up equal to 50% of the 2025-26 GST/HST credit. It was paid on June 5, 2026 to people who filed a 2024 return and were entitled to the credit in January 2026. The payment may still show as the GST/HST credit in your CRA account.
Source: CRA news release, April 17, 2026.
How to make sure you get it
- File your tax return every year, even with no income. The CRA uses it to decide if you qualify.
- Tell the CRA about changes to your address, family size or marital status.
- If you filed late, you may get back payments, according to the CRA.
- If your situation has not changed since you got the GST/HST credit, the CRA says you are likely eligible, because the rules match.
Check what you learned
3 quick questions. Nothing is saved or sent.
1. Do you apply separately for the Canada Groceries and Essentials Benefit?
2. What did the CRA say the GST/HST credit was renamed as of July 2026?
3. If your payment is late, what does the CRA say to do first?
Questions people ask
Who qualifies for the Canada Groceries and Essentials Benefit?
Residents of Canada who are at least 19, or under 19 with a partner or a child they live with, and who file a tax return. Your family income must be below the limit on the CRA chart. There is no separate application.
Do I need an income to get it?
No. The CRA says to file a tax return even with no income. It uses the return to decide if you qualify.
Do newcomers qualify?
They can. The CRA says to send Form RC151 for the year you became a resident of Canada, and you need a Social Insurance Number.
What if my payment is late?
The CRA says to wait 10 working days, then call 1-800-387-1193.
Is the GST credit gone?
The CRA says it was renamed the Canada Groceries and Essentials Benefit as of July 2026. The last GST/HST credit payment was April 2, 2026.
How much is the CGEB for a single person?
Up to $679 a year from July 2026 to June 2027.
Do I need to apply?
No separate application. Filing your tax return is the key step, according to the CRA.
When is the next payment?
January 5, 2027, then April 5, 2027. The CRA says payments are made on the 5th, or the business day before if the 5th falls on a weekend or federal holiday. The October 5, 2026 payment has already been made.