GST payment dates 2026: the GST credit and the new CGEB
The 2026 GST credit payments are January 5, April 2, July 3 and October 5. In July 2026 the GST/HST credit became the Canada Groceries and Essentials Benefit (CGEB), still paid quarterly and with no new application. The October 2026 payment was issued on Monday, October 5, 2026; the next payment is January 2027 (the CRA has not published the exact date yet; checked 7 October 2026).
Next GST credit / CGEB payment
January 2027 (date not yet published)
Max, single (2026–27)
$679/yr
Max, couple (2026–27)
$890/yr
Per child under 19
$234/yr
When is the GST credit paid in 2026?
Four quarterly payments. The name on the payment changed in July; the schedule did not.
Sources: CRA — CGEB payment dates and Canada.ca — Benefits payment dates, checked 7 October 2026. Neither page lists a 2027 date yet; the January 2027 date will be added when the CRA publishes it.
GST credit vs CGEB: what changed in July 2026
The GST/HST credit was replaced by the Canada Groceries and Essentials Benefit from the July 2026 payment. The mechanics carry over. It is a tax-free quarterly payment, sized by adjusted family net income, marital status and the number of children under 19. It is not a refund of the GST or HST you paid at the till: spending more does not raise it. You do not apply separately; the CRA works it out from your tax return.
What that means for the calendar: the January and April 2026 payments were GST/HST credit payments based on your 2024 return. The July and October 2026 payments, and January and April 2027, are CGEB payments based on your 2025 return. A change in income shows up only in July, when the benefit year restarts.
How much is each CGEB payment?
For July 2026 to June 2027 the CRA publishes these annual maximums. The CRA splits your annual entitlement into four equal quarterly payments; the right-hand column is that division, not a CRA table:
| Maximum | Per year | ≈ Per quarter |
|---|---|---|
| Single individual | $679 | $169.75 |
| Married or common-law | $890 | $222.50 |
| Each child under 19 | $234 | $58.50 |
The amount phases out as adjusted family net income rises, and it can include a provincial or territorial top-up paid with it. If your quarterly amount would be under $50, the CRA pays the whole year in one July payment instead. The CGEB is not taxable and is not reported on your return. Estimate your own amount with our CGEB calculator, which reproduces the CRA’s payments chart to the cent. For your official figure, the CRA’s “How much you can get” page links its payments chart and benefits calculator.
Families with children also receive the Canada child benefit every month: see what yours is worth with the Canada Child Benefit calculator. For seniors, the CGEB comes on top of the monthly pensions paid on the CPP and OAS payment dates 2026, and low-income seniors can check the Guaranteed Income Supplement.
Other CRA benefit payment dates in 2026
The same CRA calendar, for the benefits that usually arrive alongside the CGEB.
Canada child benefit (CCB)
January 20 · February 20 · March 20 · April 20 · May 20 · June 19 · July 20 · August 20 · September 18 · October 20 · November 20 · December 11
Ontario trillium benefit (OTB)
January 9 · February 10 · March 10 · April 10 · May 8 · June 10 · July 10 · August 10 · September 10 · October 9 · November 10 · December 10
Advanced Canada workers benefit (ACWB)
January 12 · July 10 · October 9
Alberta child and family benefit (ACFB)
February 27 · May 27 · August 27 · November 27
Source: Canada.ca — Benefits payment dates, checked 7 October 2026. Note the December CCB payment comes early, on December 11.
Didn’t get the October 2026 GST/CGEB payment?
The October payment was issued on Monday, October 5, 2026. First check the payment status in your CRA account and confirm your address and direct deposit details. The CRA asks you to wait 10 working days from the payment date before calling: for October that means calling from Tuesday, October 20, 2026 by our count (weekdays, skipping Thanksgiving on Monday, October 12). Cheques by mail take longer than direct deposit.
- You got one larger payment in July. If your quarterly amount would be under $50, the CRA pays the whole July 2026 to June 2027 benefit in July, so nothing comes in October, January or April.
- Your 2025 return wasn’t filed or assessed. The October payment is based on your 2025 return. If you filed after July, payments wait until the CRA assesses it; any amounts you missed are paid retroactively in the next scheduled payment.
- You turned 19 recently. The first payment comes on the payment date after your 19th birthday, and only if you filed a return for the previous year.
- Your details changed. A new address or bank account, or a change in marital status, not reported to the CRA can stop payments; a change in children or custody changes the amount.
- It went to a debt. The CRA applies the CGEB to an overpayment of the benefit, a tax balance or other government debts until they are repaid.
Sources: CRA — CGEB payment dates, CRA — reasons for stopped or changed payments and CRA — payment dates for CRA administered benefits (footnote: wait 10 working days), read 7 October 2026. The next payment is January 2027 (the CRA has not published the exact date yet; checked 7 October 2026).
Frequently asked questions
When is the GST payment in 2026?+
The four 2026 payments are January 5, April 2, July 3 and October 5 (CRA). The January and April payments went out as the GST/HST credit; July and October are paid under its new name, the Canada Groceries and Essentials Benefit (CGEB). The payments stay quarterly, in July, October, January and April.
When is the next GST payment after October 2026?+
The October 2026 payment was issued on Monday, October 5, 2026; the next payment is January 2027 (the CRA has not published the exact date yet; checked 7 October 2026). For reference, the January payment was Friday, January 3, 2025 in 2025 and Monday, January 5, 2026 in 2026. It is the third payment of the July 2026 to June 2027 benefit year, so it is still based on your 2025 tax return.
Is the GST credit still being paid?+
Yes, under a new name. From July 2026 the GST/HST credit was replaced by the Canada Groceries and Essentials Benefit (CGEB). If you received the GST/HST credit you do not need to apply again: the CRA works out your CGEB from your tax return, on the same quarterly schedule.
How much is the CGEB for July 2026 to June 2027?+
Based on your 2025 tax return, you could get up to $679 a year if you are single, $890 if you are married or have a common-law partner, and $234 for each eligible child under 19 (CRA). The amount falls as adjusted family net income rises, and it may include related provincial or territorial payments. The payments are not taxable.
Why did I get one CGEB payment in July and nothing in October?+
If your quarterly amount would be less than $50, the CRA pays the whole year's benefit as a single payment in July instead of four instalments. Otherwise, check your CRA account for a reassessment, a change in marital status or children, or out-of-date banking details.
Which tax return is my October 2026 payment based on?+
Your 2025 return. The benefit year runs July to June: the July 2026 to April 2027 payments use your 2025 adjusted family net income, while the January and April 2026 payments used your 2024 return. File every year, even with no income: without the previous year's return the CRA cannot recalculate the benefit in July, and payments wait until it assesses your return.
What if my GST credit / CGEB payment doesn't arrive?+
Check the payment status in your CRA account and make sure your address and direct deposit details are current. The CRA asks you to wait 10 working days after the payment date before calling. For the October payment of Monday, October 5, 2026, that is Tuesday, October 20, 2026 by our count (weekdays, skipping Thanksgiving on Monday, October 12).
Related Canadian tools
CPP & OAS Payment Dates 2026 →
All 12 Service Canada dates and why the day moves each month.
Canada Child Benefit Calculator →
Your monthly CCB for July 2026 to June 2027.
GST/HST Calculator →
The sales tax itself: rates for all 13 provinces and territories.
Canada Disability Benefit →
Up to $204.20 a month, July 2026 to June 2027.
Written by Felix, Richify's AI CFO — an AI author, presented as one · Editorial standards. Sources: CRA Canada Groceries and Essentials Benefit pages, the CRA benefit payment dates page and the Canada.ca benefits payment calendar, checked 7 October 2026. For information only; your own amounts and dates are in your CRA account.
