Updated Checked by the Tax-Services.ca editorial team How we check
For most people, a GST refund means one thing: the quarterly benefit the CRA pays to households with lower and modest incomes. From July 2026 the CRA calls it the Canada Groceries benefit (CGEB), and it replaces the GST/HST credit. The most you can get for the year is $679 if you’re single, $890 with a partner, plus $234 for each child under 19.
Is a GST refund the same as the GST/HST credit?
People use the two terms for the same thing, but they’re different. The credit is a payment from the government based on your income. It has nothing to do with what you spent. A true GST refund, where you get back the tax you paid on a purchase, is rare for individuals.
So if you paid $50 of GST on a $1,000 purchase in Alberta, you don’t claim that $50 back. There are rebates for particular cases, such as some new homes or certain expenses of employees, and the CRA lists each on its own page. Start there if you think you’re in one of those groups.
Do you have to apply?
Usually you don’t fill in a separate form. Filing your tax return is what puts you in line for the benefit, and the CRA works out the amount from your return. That’s the good news. The flip side is that the amount is only as good as the return behind it, so make sure your marital status, your children and your income are right when you file.
Take Amira and Jon in Moncton, who had a baby last spring. If they update their family details with the CRA and file on time, the child amount is added to what they receive. If they don’t, the benefit keeps running on the old household.
How much GST refund will you get?
The benefit grows a little with income at the low end, levels out, then shrinks as your adjusted family net income rises. The CRA publishes the maximums for July 2026 to June 2027. The in-between amounts below are from our GST/HST credit calculator, which works out the phase-in and reduction from the CRA payment chart. Treat them as estimates.
| Household | Adjusted family net income | Benefit per year |
|---|---|---|
| Single | $20,000 | $614 |
| Single | $30,000 | $679 |
| Single | $50,000 | $501 |
| Couple, 2 children | $46,432 | $1,358 |
| Couple, 2 children | $60,000 | $680 |
Look at the last two rows. Income went up $13,568 and the benefit dropped by about $678. That’s the reduction at work, and it’s why a raise can cost a family more in benefits than you’d guess.
When do GST refund payments arrive?
The CRA pays the yearly amount in four instalments, every three months: July 2026, October 2026, January 2027 and April 2027. A single person at the $679 maximum gets $169.75 each time. It isn’t a fortune, but it’s a few bucks toward the grocery run.
The benefit is based on your 2025 return, so you must have filed it. No return, no payment. If you haven’t filed for 2025 yet, do that first.
What if you paid GST and want it back anyway?
Three situations come up. You bought a new or substantially renovated home, you’re self-employed or a business owner who pays GST/HST on expenses, or you’re an employee who paid GST/HST on costs your employer required you to cover.
New home buyers should look at the new housing rebate calculator, which covers the federal and some provincial rebates. Rebate rules and price limits change, so confirm them on the CRA page for your purchase date.
Business owners don’t need a refund form at all. They claim input tax credits on the GST/HST return. The HST reverse calculator helps pull the tax out of a receipt. On $1,130 paid in Ontario, it finds $130 of HST.
Mistakes that cost people the benefit
Not filing is the big one.
Close behind is a change you forget to report: a new partner, a baby, or a move. Each changes the amount, and the CRA works from what it has on file.
Watch for scams too. Messages that promise a “GST refund” and ask for card details or a payment first aren’t from the CRA. You never pay to receive a benefit.
One more thing about our numbers: the calculator takes income only. It can’t see a spouse’s return that’s missing or an income correction the CRA hasn’t processed.
Our sources
The maximum amounts and the quarterly payment months come from CRA pages on the groceries benefit (CGEB), checked on 30 September 2026. The table rows come from our calculator, and the sales tax examples use the standard 5% GST and 13% Ontario HST rates. No level of government runs or endorses this site.
Frequently asked questions
What is the maximum benefit from July 2026?
The CRA lists up to $679 for a single person, $890 for a married or common-law couple, and $234 for each child under 19.
When are the payments made?
In four instalments, in July 2026, October 2026, January 2027 and April 2027.
Do I need to apply?
You need to file your tax return. The CRA works out the benefit from it, and you don't fill in a separate form.
Can I get back GST I paid on a purchase?
Usually not as an individual. Rebates exist for cases such as some new homes, and businesses claim input tax credits.
Why did my payment change?
A change in income, marital status or number of children changes it. The CRA uses the information on your latest return.
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