Key Highlights

  • A quiet but significant change has reshaped one of the country's most widely paid benefits.
  • As of July 2026, the Canada Revenue Agency's familiar GST/HST Credit has been replaced by the Canada Groceries and Essentials Benefit (CGEB).
  • The key difference is the size of the payment: the government increased the amount by 25% and committed to keeping the boost running for five years, from 2026 to 2031.
  • The CGEB is the renamed and enhanced successor to the GST/HST credit, which the CRA now describes as no longer available.

A quiet but significant change has reshaped one of the country's most widely paid benefits. As of July 2026, the Canada Revenue Agency's familiar GST/HST credit has been replaced by the Canada Groceries and Essentials Benefit (CGEB), and the new payment is built on the old one with a 25% increase that is set to stay in place for five years. For low- and modest-income households already stretched by higher grocery and living costs, the enhancement could make a real, if modest, difference to quarterly budgets.

What actually changed

The CGEB is the renamed and enhanced successor to the GST/HST credit, which the CRA now describes as no longer available. Like its predecessor, the CGEB is tax-free and paid quarterly to individuals and families with low-to-modest income. The key difference is the size of the payment: the government increased the amount by 25% and committed to keeping the boost running for five years, from 2026 to 2031, representing an additional $8.6 billion in support over the 2026-27 to 2030-31 period. Importantly, the CGEB is not the Canada Child Benefit (CCB). They are separate CRA programs with different purposes, amounts and payment dates.

How much households could receive

Amounts depend on adjusted family net income, marital status and the number of eligible children under 19, so the figures below are maximums rather than guaranteed payments. For the base year running July 2026 to June 2027, the maximum amounts are up to $679 for a single individual, up to $890 for a married or common-law couple, plus up to $234 per eligible child under 19. Including the one-time top-up paid in June, "this year" figures reached as high as up to $1,890 for an eligible family of four and up to $950 for an eligible single person. Going forward, the government has framed the ongoing benefit as roughly $1,400 a year for a family of four and about $700 a year for a single person over the next four years. These are examples and maximums; actual payments vary with each household's circumstances.

Who qualifies and how

Eligibility mirrors the old GST/HST credit and is based on income and family situation. The most important step for Canadians is straightforward: file your tax return. When you file, the CRA automatically considers you for the CGEB, so there is generally no separate application for most residents. Newcomers to Canada may need to complete specific forms to start receiving benefits even before filing their first return. Because the benefit is income-tested, payments phase down as adjusted family Net Income rises, and not everyone will receive the maximum. The CRA calculates each household's amount from the information on file.

What to watch next

The next quarterly CGEB payment is scheduled for October 5, 2026. To avoid delays, the CRA continues to encourage direct deposit, which is faster, more secure and unaffected by mail disruptions. As of September 2026, the agency also notes that wildfires have delayed a small number of benefit cheques, though direct-deposit payments continue on schedule.

Conclusion

The move from the GST/HST credit to the Canada Groceries and Essentials Benefit gives millions of eligible Canadians a larger, tax-free payment locked in for five years. The amounts are capped and income-tested, so they will not be identical for everyone, but for households that qualify, filing on time and enrolling in direct deposit are the simplest ways to make sure the enhanced benefit arrives without a hitch.