12 million Canadians to begin receiving Enhanced Canada Groceries and Essentials Benefit
June 05, 2026
Global Korean Post
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The Canada Revenue Agency and Financial Institutions, highlighted that the Canada Revenue Agency (CRA) has begun issuing a one-time top-up payment under the new Canada Groceries and Essentials Benefit, equal to a 50% increase in the annual 2025-26 value of the Goods and Services Tax (GST) Credit.
Starting June 5, anyone who received the GST Credit in January 2026 will automatically get this one-time payment.
In addition, the new Canada Groceries and Essentials Benefit will represent a 25% increase over the GST Credit on which it is built. It will provide $8.6 billion in additional support over the 2026-27 to 2030-31 period, including to 500,000 additional individuals and families, with enriched quarterly payments starting in July.
Combined with the one-time top-up, this means that a family of four will receive up to $1,890 this year, and about $1,400 a year for the next four years; and a single person will receive up to $950 this year, and about $700 a year for the next four years.
After the one-time payment is made, eligible families and individuals in Canada will receive regular quarterly payments as of July 2026 to permit timely access to the funds to help families with day-to-day expenses. These amounts are additional to existing benefits such as the Canada Child Benefit, the Canada Disability Benefit, and the Guaranteed Income Supplement.
In July 2026, the Canada Groceries and Essentials Benefit (CGEB) will replace the GST/HST credit. Under the new program name, payment amounts will be increased, but the eligibility, payment calculation, and structure will be the same as the GST/HST credit.
Edited by Jasmine Kang
