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The Canada Groceries and Essentials Benefit (CGEB) replaced the GST/HST credit in July 2026. It is a tax-free quarterly payment intended to help eligible individuals and families with groceries and other day-to-day essentials. The change kept the former credit’s basic eligibility and calculation structure, while the federal benefit amount increased by 25% for the 2026–27 payment period. A payment is not automatic simply because a person has heard about the program: the CRA assesses entitlement from tax and family information.
For the period running from July 2026 through June 2027, the CRA uses information from the 2025 tax return. Your adjusted family net income, marital status and eligible children can all affect the result. The CRA publishes maximum annual amounts, but a maximum is not a guaranteed deposit. The practical first step is to understand the eligibility rules, make sure your tax return is filed and check the CRA record that applies to your household.
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What changed in 2026
The name change happened in July 2026. January and April 2026 payments were still issued as GST/HST credit payments, while the July and October payments are under the CGEB name. This transition can make bank records, notices and older online explanations look inconsistent. When checking an expected payment, use the official CGEB pages or your CRA account rather than assuming that an old GST/HST credit explanation covers the current period.
The July 2026 to June 2027 cycle is based on the 2025 tax return. The CRA recalculates the amount every July, so an income, marital-status or child-information change can affect a later payment. Related provincial or territorial amounts may also appear with the federal benefit, but their rules and amounts are separate. That is why comparing only one past deposit with a new one may not explain what your household is entitled to receive.
Payment dates and annual amounts
For the 2025 base year, the CRA says a single person could receive up to $679 annually, a person who is married or has a common-law partner could receive up to $890, and the amount can include up to $234 for each eligible child under 19. The actual payment can be lower because it is calculated from the household’s circumstances and adjusted family net income. The CRA’s benefits calculator and the notice in CRA My Account are better places to check an individual amount than a general article.
Keep your CRA information current
Filing a return each year matters even when there was no income to report. The CRA also needs accurate address, bank, marital-status, residency and child or custody information. An unfiled return, a request for information that was not answered, a change in income or family circumstances, or an amount applied to an overpayment can change or stop a payment. If the expected payment has not arrived, the CRA advises waiting 10 business days after the scheduled date before calling.
Questions people often ask
Frequently asked questions
Do I need to submit a separate application every year?
In most cases, no. Filing your tax return each year lets the CRA automatically assess eligibility. New residents can have a separate first-year application route.
Why is my payment different from someone else’s?
Payments depend on adjusted family net income, marital status and eligible children. A published maximum is not the same as an individual entitlement.
What should I do if a scheduled payment is missing?
Check your CRA account, direct-deposit details and personal information first. If the reason is still unclear, wait 10 business days after the expected date before contacting the CRA.
This information is a general guide based on Government of Canada sources. The CRA decides eligibility and payment amounts for each household.