Why the GST/HST credit still arrives four times a year, now under a new name

For years, a modest federal deposit labelled as the GST/HST credit arrived in Canadian bank accounts in January, April, July and October. In July 2026 the label changed. The payment did not disappear, and it still arrives four times a year, but it now has a new name, a higher amount and, for some people, a one-time extra payment that came in June.

Here is what changed, what stayed the same, and why the humble annual tax return remains the thing that decides whether it arrives at all.

A familiar deposit with a new label

The Canada Revenue Agency states: “The Canada Groceries and Essentials Benefit (CGEB) replaced the GST/HST credit in July 2026.” In practice, people who used to receive the GST/HST credit are the people who now receive the CGEB, and it is paid by the CRA in the same way, by direct deposit or cheque.

In CRA My Account, the payments now appear under the new name, together with related provincial programs that the CRA pays alongside it. If you are used to looking for “GST/HST credit” in your records, look for the new label instead; our guide to what to look for in CRA My Account once a year shows where.

What changed in 2026

Three things changed this year, according to the CRA:

• The name. From July 2026 the benefit is the Canada Groceries and Essentials Benefit.
• The amount. In July 2026 there was a 25% increase to the benefit amount, which the government says will remain for five years, from 2026 to 2031.
• A one-time top-up. On June 5, 2026, eligible people received a one-time payment equal to 50% of their GST/HST credit for the 2025–26 benefit year. It went to people who had filed a 2024 return and were entitled to the credit in January 2026.

The one-time top-up has been paid and is not repeated. The 25% increase is built into the regular quarterly amounts from July 2026 onward.

The amounts for July 2026 to June 2027

The benefit starts to shrink once adjusted family net income passes $46,432, and the CRA’s payment chart shows it reaching zero at about $65,000 for singles and couples without children. Between those points it reduces gradually. These amounts are calculated from the 2025 tax return, which is why a return filed in spring 2026 determines the payments from July 2026 to April 2027.

Why four payments, and when

The CGEB is assessed once a year but paid in four instalments, in July, October, January and April. For this payment period the CRA lists July 3, 2026 and October 5, 2026, with the remaining payments in January and April 2027. The CRA publishes exact dates on its payment-dates page.

There is one exception to the rhythm. The CRA says you will not receive quarterly payments if the amount per quarter is less than $50; instead, the whole year is paid in a single payment in July. A person entitled to a very small amount therefore sees one deposit, not four.

The detail that matters to people living alone

The single maximum of $679 is made up of a base amount of $445 and a single supplement of $234. The supplement is not paid in full at every income level: the CRA explains that it builds up once income passes $11,564. In other words, a single person with a very low income can receive less than the full $679, while a single person with a moderate income may receive all of it.

That counter-intuitive shape surprises people who expect the poorest to receive the most. The CRA’s payments chart, which lists the amount for each income level and family type, is the reliable way to see where a particular income falls.

A couple, worked through

Example: a retired couple, no children at home

Combined net income on 2025 returns$40,000

Below the $46,432 reduction point?Yes

Annual entitlement, July 2026 to June 2027$890

Each quarterly payment$222.50

Hypothetical couple using the CRA’s published maximums. The benefit is paid to one partner for the couple. Actual amounts are calculated by the CRA from both returns.

The tax return is the application

The CRA is clear on this point: “All you have to do is file your tax return every year, even if you do not have any income to report.” You do not apply separately for the CGEB. Only new residents of Canada may need to apply in the first year they become residents.

For a couple, both partners need to file. A retiree living on OAS and GIS with no tax payable may feel there is no reason to file a return, but skipping it can stop the CGEB, the GIS renewal and several provincial programs together, as described in the provincial top-ups that sit on top of OAS and GIS.

Who this matters for, and what to check

• Anyone who filed a 2025 return and has a modest income: check that the July and October 2026 payments arrived.
• People who stopped filing because they had no tax to pay: filing restores the assessment.
• People who changed banks: the CRA and Service Canada keep separate deposit details, as explained in what to do when your bank account changes.
• Everyone: the CRA does not text you a link to “claim” a grocery payment. It is paid automatically after a return is assessed.

To sum up

The GST/HST credit lives on as the Canada Groceries and Essentials Benefit, a little larger than before and still paid four times a year. Nothing needs to be applied for, and nothing needs to be paid to receive it. What it needs is a tax return, filed every spring, by everyone in the household who is entitled.