Updated Checked by the Tax-Services.ca editorial team How we check
The GST credit in Canada isn’t called that anymore. From July 2026 the CRA pays it as the Canada Groceries and Essentials Benefit, or CGEB, to the same people as before, and you still get it by filing a tax return. Our calculator uses up to $445 for each adult and $234 for each child under 19, for payments from July 2026 to June 2027.
Who gets the GST credit, and do you have to apply?
You don’t apply for it separately. The CRA says it works out your entitlement from your annual tax return, and it lists the same eligibility rules as the old GST/HST credit. So if you got the credit last year and nothing changed, you’ll likely keep getting it.
The catch is simple: no return, no payment. That goes for your spouse or partner too. Anyone with little or no tax to pay can be tempted to skip filing, and that’s exactly how low-income people lose the money. A student with $9,000 of part-time pay owes no tax, but filing is what puts the benefit in motion.
How much is the credit worth?
The benefit starts from a base amount and then shrinks as your family income rises. Here are the figures our calculator uses, taken from the CRA’s benefit pages.
| Item | July 2026 to June 2027 |
|---|---|
| Single adult | $445 |
| Spouse or partner | $445 |
| Each child under 19 | $234 |
| Single supplement (no partner) | Up to $234 |
| Income where the reduction starts | $46,432 |
The CRA’s payment amounts page lists up to $679 for a single person, $890 for a married or common-law couple and $234 for each child under 19 for July 2026 to June 2027. Your own amount depends on income, so confirm it by signing in to your CRA account and opening “Benefits and credits.” The phase-in and reduction rates aren’t printed anywhere we could find. The calculator’s rates of 2% and 5% are worked backward from the CRA payment chart, so treat them as a close estimate, not a quoted rule.
What does it come to on real incomes?
Run your own numbers in the GST/HST credit calculator. Three cases from it, each for a full year:
- A single person with $20,000 of income and no children gets about $613.72, which is $153.43 a quarter.
- A couple with two kids and $30,000 of family income gets the full $1,358.
- A single person on $60,000 gets about 60 cents a year. The credit has effectively disappeared by then.
The couple’s $1,358 is just the table added up: $445 and $445 for the two adults, and $234 for each of the two kids. That works out to roughly $340 every three months, a nice cushion for groceries.
That last case is why a raise can cost you less than you’d fear. Near the ceiling the credit is tiny, so there’s almost nothing to lose. The reduction bites hardest lower down, and families with children feel it most because the starting amount is bigger.
When are the payments?
They come quarterly. Two dates for this benefit year were on the pages we read: 3 July and 5 October 2026, and the October one has just gone out. The exact January and April 2027 dates weren’t published where we looked, so check the CRA payment dates page nearer the time. The CRA also issued a one-time top-up in June 2026, which falls outside the July to June year.
Filing on time matters more than people think, because the payments follow from your return.
How do you make sure the money reaches you?
Three small things. Sign up for direct deposit through your bank or your CRA account, since a cheque in the mail is slower and easier to lose. Keep your address current, because a moved family with the old address on file can miss a payment. And file every year, even in a year with no income, so the benefit year always has a return behind it.
What goes wrong with the GST credit?
Marital status changes are the big one. If you start living with a partner, the credit is worked out on family income, so update your status with the CRA. Children are the next. The Canada Child Benefit calculator uses the same kind of family income, and a missing child on your file costs you on both.
The other trap is treating it as a refund of GST you paid on purchases. It isn’t. It’s an income-tested benefit, and it has nothing to do with the receipts in your drawer. If you’re also weighing deductions that lower your net income, try the income tax calculator and the tax credits calculator. That tool covers federal credits only.
Where we got these figures
The rename, the automatic assessment and the eligibility wording come from the CRA‘s benefit page for the Canada Groceries and Essentials Benefit, read in September 2026. Dollar amounts, income thresholds and payment dates come from the CRA benefit information loaded into our calculator. The two rate figures are our own derivation. This is an independent site, and no government body is behind it.
Frequently asked questions
Is the GST credit still paid in 2026?
Yes, but from July 2026 the CRA calls it the Canada Groceries and Essentials Benefit, with the same eligibility rules.
Do I have to apply for it?
No. The CRA works it out from your tax return, so you need to file every year.
How much can one adult get?
Our calculator uses $445 a year for an adult, plus a $234 single supplement, from July 2026 to June 2027. Confirm the amount in your CRA account.
When are the next payments?
The pages we read list 3 July and 5 October 2026. We couldn't confirm the January and April 2027 dates.
Does a higher income reduce it?
Yes. In our calculator the reduction starts at $46,432 of income and a single person on $60,000 gets about 60 cents.
- GST, HST, PST and QST explained for every province
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