Grocery benefit replaces GST credit July 3 with 25% higher payouts
Eligible Canadians will receive quarterly payments up to $679 per person, with the new Canada Groceries and Essentials Benefit locked in for five years.
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Starting July 3, the Canada Revenue Agency will begin rolling out quarterly payments under the Canada Groceries and Essentials Benefit, which permanently replaces the GST/HST credit.
The new benefit pays out 25% more than the old GST/HST credit and that increase is locked in through 2031. More than 12 million Canadians are expected to receive payments. A one-time bridge deposit was issued on June 5 to ease the transition.
Eligible Canadians can receive up to $679 for single individuals, up to $890 for married or common-law partners, and $234 for each eligible child under 19, based on their 2025 tax return. Your actual amount depends on adjusted family net income, marital status, and number of eligible children.
The CRA will automatically determine eligibility for anyone who filed their 2025 tax return — no application is required. If your quarterly amount works out to less than $50, the CRA combines the full annual amount into a single July payment.
Payments arrive four times a year: July 3, October 5, 2026, and two more dates to follow. The payment schedule runs July through the following June annually.