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On Friday June 5, Canadians who are eligible to receive a Canada Groceries and Essential Benefits (CGEB) payment can expect to receive between $267 to $533.
The amount will depend on the person’s family situation and is available to residents who are 19 years and up that are classified as low to middle income.
The one-time payment is part of a series of affordability measures announced by Prime Minister Mark Carney in January.
CGEB replaces GST/HST credit
The CGEB will replace the GST/HST credit. Under the new program, payment amounts will increase, while eligibility requirements and the overall payment structure will remain the same.
The one-time top-up payment will equal 50 per cent of a recipient’s total annual GST/HST credit amount for the July 2025 to June 2026 benefit period. To qualify, recipients must have been entitled to the January 2026 GST/HST credit payment.
How much could Canadians receive?
Single individuals or single-parent families could receive a maximum payment of:
- $267 with no children
- $441 with one child
- $533 with two children
- $625 with three children
- $717 with four children
Married individuals or those with a common-law partner could receive a maximum payment of:
- $349 with no children
- $441 with one child
- $533 with two children
- $625 with three children
- $717 with four children
Payments may still appear as GST/HST credit
The federal government says payments will continue to appear as the GST/HST credit while Canadian financial institutions update their systems.
Why didn’t I receive a payment?
For individuals who do not receive a payment, the government says it may be due to one of the following reasons:
- You did not file your 2024 income tax return.
- You were not eligible for the GST/HST credit in January 2026.
- Your spouse or common-law partner received the one-time top-up payment on behalf of the family.
- Your payment was applied to an outstanding balance owed to the Canada Revenue Agency (CRA).
Prime Minister Mark Carney also visited a local grocery store in Brampton today to speak on Canada’s Groceries and Essentials Benefit.
“Today, 12 million Canadians, including five million Ontarians, will receive a first-time increase in what’s called the groceries and essentials benefit. So, if they’re buying fresh produce here at Hello Fresh, they have a little bit more money in order to do so, and feed their family, feed their family however they want, but nutritiously,” said Carney.
This payment comes to provide financial support to millions of Canadians for essential goods like groceries.
Those that are signed up for direct deposit with CRA will see the payment in their bank accounts, otherwise paper cheques will be mailed out.
