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Proposed, not law yet. Budget 2026, tabled on 5 November 2026, proposes a one-time supplement to the Canada Groceries and Essentials Benefit (CGEB), to be delivered in early 2027. It is a proposal until Parliament passes it. We read the Budget 2026 tax annex and the Finance Canada key measures page on 10 November 2026.
The supplement would equal half of the maximum yearly CGEB for the 2026-27 benefit year. It would come on top of the regular quarterly payments, not instead of them.
What does Budget 2026 propose for the CGEB?
Budget 2026 proposes a one-time CGEB supplement, to be delivered in early 2027, equal to half of the maximum annual CGEB amounts for the 2026-27 benefit year. The Finance Canada key measures page describes it as a one-time 50% increase for that benefit year. Neither page gives an exact payment date.
The CGEB is non-taxable, income-tested and indexed to inflation. For the basics of how it works today, see Canada Groceries and Essentials Benefit: How It Works, and for the schedule see Canada Groceries and Essentials Benefit payment dates.
What are the proposed amounts?
The budget text sets the supplement maximums at half of the current yearly maximums, which apply from July 1, 2026 to June 30, 2027.
| Part of the benefit | Current yearly maximum | Proposed one-time supplement |
|---|---|---|
| Per adult | $445 | $223 |
| Per child | $234 | $117 |
| Single supplement | $234 | $117 |
The current benefit is paid in equal quarterly payments in July, October, January and April. The proposed supplement would be separate and paid once.
For single parents, the budget text says they would get the full single supplement, without the phase-in, and the adult amount instead of the child amount for their first child.
What do the headline figures say?
The Finance Canada key measures page says the supplement provides up to $339 for a single person without children and up to $679 for a couple with two children. Those two examples are the only family types the page names. They do not appear on the Budget 2026 tax annex.
As a rough check of our own, we added the proposed component amounts. A single adult with the adult amount and the single supplement comes to $340, and a couple with two children comes to $680. Both are $1 above the headline figures. The pages do not show how the headline numbers were worked out, so treat our sums as a rough check and not as an official amount.
How would income affect the supplement?
The budget says the supplement would use phase-in and phase-out rates adjusted to six per cent and 15 per cent, so that the same income levels apply as under the current rules. The current rules, as the text describes them, include a phase-out rate of five per cent on the part of 2025 adjusted family net income above $46,432, and a phase-in rate of two per cent for a single adult on the part of 2025 net income above $11,564.
Those are 2025 income figures. That points to the return you filed for 2025 as the income source, but the pages we read do not state a filing requirement, so we do not claim one. If you have not filed for 2025, see Filing Taxes in Canada: Dates, Steps and Traps.
What would it cost?
The tax annex lists the supplement at $4,055 million in the 2026-27 fiscal year and nothing after that, which fits a one-time payment. This is the government's cost estimate, not an amount per household.
Is the lump-sum rule a different change?
Yes. Budget 2026 also proposes to raise the lump-sum payment threshold to $50 per month for the Canada child benefit and $70 per quarter for the CGEB. It would apply to benefits paid after June 2027. It is separate from the one-time supplement, which is planned for early 2027. For the child benefit, see Canada Child Benefit: How It Works and How Much You Get.
What should you do now?
Nothing is needed today, because it is a proposal. Keep your current quarterly CGEB payments in view and file your tax returns on time, since the benefit is worked out from your tax return. For the general GST credit side, see GST Rebate in Canada: The Groceries Benefit, and for the wider package see Budget 2026: What It Means for Your Taxes.
For the whole 2027 picture in one place, including confirmed numbers, Budget 2026 proposals, CRA program changes and key dates, see Canadian Taxes in 2027: Confirmed Numbers, Proposals and Dates.
What could we not confirm?
We could not confirm the exact payment date, the income thresholds beyond the statement that the same levels apply, or whether the supplement is already part of a bill. We also could not tie the $339 and $679 figures to the component amounts.
This is an independent information site. It provides no services, does not represent the CRA, the Department of Finance or any organization, and collects information from open sources. It does not guarantee that anything here is accurate or current, and it accepts no liability for how you use it. Every measure described is a proposal and can change before it becomes law. Check the official budget pages before you rely on it.
Frequently asked questions
Is the one-time CGEB supplement law?
No. Budget 2026 proposes it. It needs legislation before it applies.
When would the CGEB supplement be paid?
Budget 2026 says it would be delivered in early 2027. The pages we read give no exact date.
How big would the CGEB supplement be?
It would equal half of the maximum yearly amounts for 2026-27: $223 per adult, $117 per child and $117 for the single supplement, with income-tested phase-in and phase-out.
What are the $339 and $679 figures?
Finance Canada says the supplement provides up to $339 for a single person without children and up to $679 for a couple with two children. The pages do not show the calculation.
Does the supplement replace the regular CGEB payments?
No. The text describes a one-time supplement for the 2026-27 benefit year, while the regular payments follow their quarterly schedule.