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CRA to Issue Canada Groceries and Essentials Benefit Payment on October 5
The CRA issues the second quarterly CGEB payment on Monday, Oct. 5 — the renamed GST/HST credit with a 25% increase. Direct deposit lands the same day; cheques take longer.
Why it matters
The October 5 payment is the second regular quarterly payout under the rebranded Canada Groceries and Essentials Benefit, which replaced the GST/HST credit in July 2026 with a permanent 25% increase in payment amounts. For millions of low- and modest-income households, it is the first benefit cheque of the fall — and it is calculated from 2025 tax returns, so anyone who has not filed yet may miss out.
Full report
OTTAWA — The Canada Revenue Agency will issue the next quarterly Canada Groceries and Essentials Benefit (CGEB) payment on Monday, October 5, 2026. Recipients with direct deposit should see the money land in their bank accounts that day; cheques sent by mail can take up to about ten business days to arrive.
The CGEB is the renamed and enhanced GST/HST credit. According to the CRA, eligibility rules and the calculation method carried over unchanged, but payment amounts rose 25% starting with the July 2026 payout. The confirmed 2026 schedule was January 5 and April 2 under the old GST/HST credit name, a one-time 50% transitional top-up on June 5, the first enhanced payment on July 3, and now October 5. The remaining payments for the 2026–27 benefit year fall on January 5 and April 5, 2027.
Maximum annual amounts for the July 2026–June 2027 benefit year, based on 2025 tax returns: up to $679 a year ($169.75 per quarter) for a single individual, up to $890 a year for a married or common-law couple, and $234 a year for each eligible child under 19. Amounts phase out as adjusted family net income rises, and the benefit is tax-free.
No application is required — the CRA determines eligibility automatically from annual tax returns, even for people with no income to report. New residents who have not filed a Canadian return may need to apply using CRA forms. Anyone whose quarterly entitlement is under $50 receives the full annual amount as a single payment in July instead.
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