Canada Groceries and Essentials Benefit payment arrives Oct. 5
The Canada Revenue Agency will issue the second quarterly Canada Groceries and Essentials Benefit payment of the fiscal year on Monday, Oct. 5. The tax-free benefit, which replaced the GST credit in July 2026, supports low- and modest-income households with rising living costs.
The Canada Revenue Agency (CRA) will issue the second Canada Groceries and Essentials Benefit (CGEB) payment for the fiscal year on Monday, Oct. 5. This disbursement is also the final CGEB payment of 2026.
The CGEB replaced the former GST credit in July 2026 to help millions of low- and modest-income households keep up with heightened living costs, including food and essentials. Payments are tax-free and issued by the CRA every quarter.
To qualify for the Oct. 5 payment, recipients must have been residents of Canada for tax purposes in September and as of Wednesday, Oct. 1. Recipients must generally be at least 19 years of age, unless they have a spouse or common-law partner, or are a parent living with a child. Eligibility and payment amounts are determined mostly by declared incomes from the 2025 tax year.
For single individuals without children, the maximum annual income threshold for 2025 is $60,012. For married or common-law individuals without children, the combined maximum income threshold is $64,232. Payment amounts vary significantly based on family size and income. A single individual with no children and a 2025 income of $11,564 may receive up to $445 annually, or $111.25 per quarterly payment. A single individual earning $55,000 could receive $250.60 annually, or $62.65 per quarter.
A single individual with two children and a 2025 income of $45,000 or less could receive $1,358 annually, or $339.50 per quarterly payment. Parents in shared custody situations may be eligible for half of the CGEB payment for that child.
A report from the Parliamentary Budget Officer estimated the CGEB program could cost the federal government $12.4 billion over six years.