Canada Groceries and Essentials Benefit deposits hit accounts today
The enhanced grocery benefit replaces the GST/HST credit with payments 25% higher, locked in until 2031. Individual recipients receive up to $679 annually in quarterly payments.
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The Canada Groceries and Essentials Benefit (CGEB) is hitting bank accounts today, replacing the GST/HST credit with payments that are 25% higher and locked in until 2031.
A single adult resident can receive up to $679 annually—about $170 per quarterly payment. Couples (married or common-law) receive up to $890 a year, roughly $222 per payment. Each child under 19 adds an extra $234 annually, paid at about $58 per quarterly payment. The amount depends on your adjusted family net income, marital status, and number of children.
Payments are automatic if you filed your 2025 tax return—no application required. Late filers will receive payments retroactively once their return is processed. If your quarterly amount is under $50, you received the full annual payment as a lump sum in July; no deposit occurs today for those amounts.
Going forward, payments arrive four times a year in January, April, July, and October. The benefit is completely tax-free and requires no reporting on next year's return. Check your CRA My Account under Benefits and Credits to see your breakdown, or look for a notice the CRA mailed. If a payment hasn't arrived within 10 business days, contact the CRA.
Why was the enhancement set to 2031 rather than made permanent?
What proportion of Quebec households qualify for the maximum amount?
We'll update this story as answers emerge.
By the numbers
How much can a single adult receive annually from the Canada Groceries and Essentials Benefit?
A single adult resident can receive up to $679 annually from the Canada Groceries and Essentials Benefit, paid in quarterly installments of approximately $170 each.
How much does each child add to a family's annual benefit?
Each child under 19 adds an extra $234 annually to a family's Canada Groceries and Essentials Benefit, paid at roughly $58 per quarterly payment.
When will the Canada Groceries and Essentials Benefit payments arrive each year?
Quarterly payments of the Canada Groceries and Essentials Benefit arrive in January, April, July, and October.
