Canada Groceries and Essentials Benefit hits accounts Monday with 25% boost locked through 2031

The Canada Groceries and Essentials Benefit will deposit into Canadian bank accounts on Monday, Oct. 5, the third quarterly payment of the year under the program that replaced the GST/HST credit in July.

The CGEB payment is 25% more than the old GST/HST credit it replaced, and that increase is locked in through 2031. Single individuals can receive up to $679 annually, paid quarterly at roughly $170 per three-month period. Couples (married or common-law) can receive up to $890 annually, or roughly $222 every three months. Parents receive an additional $234 annually per eligible child under 19—close to $58 per quarterly payment per child.

The exact amount depends on adjusted family net income, marital status, and number of children. To qualify, you must be at least 19 years old and a Canadian resident for tax purposes. Those under 19 can qualify if they have or had a spouse, are in a common-law relationship, or are a parent living with a child. In shared-custody situations, each parent can claim half the benefit tied to that child.

No separate application is required. Children already receiving the Canada Child Benefit are automatically included in the CGEB total. The benefit is completely tax-free and requires no reporting on your tax return. To see your exact amount, log into CRA My Account under Benefits and Credits.

Deposits arrive quarterly from July through June each year. If a quarterly payment is less than $50, the CRA skips smaller installments and pays the entire annual total as a lump sum in July. Late filers still receive payments retroactively after processing, provided they file their 2025 tax return.