Eligible Canadians will soon be receiving extra money from the federal government in the form of a topped-up GST payment before the program transitions into the grocery benefit next month.
The Canada Groceries and Essentials Benefit (CGEB) was announced in January as a replacement for the GST/HST credit starting in July.
Prime Minister Mark Carney billed the measure as increased financial support to more than 12 million Canadians to help manage the costs of everyday essentials like groceries. It will be essentially the same format and principle as the GST payment, but will have quarterly payment amounts that are 25 per cent higher than the GST payment for five years.
Before it kicks off next month, those who qualify will be receiving an additional GST top-up payment starting on June 5.
Here’s what to know.
Who qualifies and how much could they get?
The Canada Revenue Agency (CRA) says the additional top-up payment will be equal to 50 per cent of the total annual GST credit for the period from July 2025 to June 2026, provided those individuals or households were entitled to receive the payment sent out in January 2026.
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For example, the CRA says if a person’s total annual GST credit in that period was $400, then their top-up payment will be an extra $200.
That amount can vary, based on the number of children in a household as of January 2026, and the family or individual’s net income declared in their 2024 tax filing. The CRA adds that only those who filed their 2024 tax return will be entitled to the GST credit and their net incomes must fall below the maximum thresholds.
In addition, qualified persons must be at least 19 years old and be residents of Canada for tax purposes during the given year.
The CRA says to qualify for the GST payments, the maximum income for an individual with no children is $56,181 in the 2024 tax year and increases depending on how many children they have.
For example, with one child, that amount increases to $63,161, with two children it’s $66,841, with three it’s $70,521, and with four children it’s $74,201.
For married or common-law incomes to qualify for the GST payment, the total household net income must fall below $59,481 with no children, $63,161 with one child, $66,841 with two children, $70,521 with three and $74,201 with four children.
The CRA also says that those parents in a shared custody situation may be able to qualify for half the GST credit for the child or children.
Individuals who qualify could receive a top-up payment of up to $267 with no children, $441 with one child, $533 with two children, $625 with three and $717 with four children.
For those married or common-law individuals who qualify, each couple would receive a top-up payment of $349 with no children, $441 with one child, $533 with two children, $625 with three and $717 with four children. These are the amounts where, if someone has shared custody of a child, each parent will get half of the amount.
How to get your money
Payments will start going out to qualified households starting June 5, and the CRA says they will still be labelled as the GST/HST credit. Once financial institutions update their systems, then the new payments will be given a label that reflects the new grocery and essentials benefit program.
Those who are already signed up for direct deposit with the CRA will see the payments deposited into their bank accounts starting on June 5.
The CRA says paper cheques will still be mailed out to those who have not enrolled for direct deposit but urges Canadians to sign up for the service so as to receive these and other payments faster and more securely.
If Canadians do not receive the top-up payment, the CRA says there are several potential reasons.
This includes that they did not file their 2024 tax return, they were not eligible or entitled to the GST credit in January 2026, a spouse or common-law partner already received the extra payment on behalf of the family, or the payment was applied to an outstanding balance if those persons owe money to the CRA.
Prime minister spends six figures a month on food on the jet alone while I dont even get 200 bucks back because I apparently make too much. Vote for 51 i guess
$200 a year? Well steak and lobster for the whole family every day now.
Instead of cutting taxes, the government spends money to create a new bureaucracy to process payments of your own tax dollars back to you, then claim the government, giving back a tiny bit of your tax money are heroes for helping Canadians. 🙄
Stop the hand outs making people lazy
I love our beautiful prime sinister. I’m so glad when he gives me the time of day.
My wife and I, are both retired and don’t get anything either, but I will never cry about the less fortunate getting something from the government, thats just so Conservative.
@Ben You are missing the point… Trudeau did the same thing before…
Instead of fixing the problem, they just hand out money (that Canada doesn’t have).
We send Billions of dollars all over the world to help others, but can’t help Canadians afford groceries? Canada needs to put the oxygen mask on ourselves first, then we can help others.
The School Lunch Program is a perfect example… instead of focusing on the problem of affordability and getting back to having people be able to afford groceries. The government just throws money at us and tells us to be thankful.
Ben, you do realize that those “seniors” are entitled to CPP as they paid into it but the other benefits are clawed back if you make too much. My utility bills, groceries, gas, etc. all cost the same as yours do.
Willow, same as my household. Two retired but we get none of these canadian benefits. I doubt those receiving the benefits are even canadian.
@Ben. What is your yearly salary. I want taxes less and these types of programs cancelled
I am so happy I got hard
Ben…the “lower class” make more than I do with all the government handouts. I’m struggling and don’t get anything.
I don’t mind that I make over the limit for the benefit, because other people less fortunate than I will benefit. That’s a social good.
GST yay
Benny wants more.
It sounds like Ben wants more, a great liberal supporter, a yours is mine kinda guy.
Seniors hold the largest amount of wealth, and get CPP, OAS, and GIS. Yet some of them still want more. What about those who make less than you, ie. the younger generations?
People who make too much money and can’t get the benefit are complaining! Can’t you think of others and those who are less fortunate than you? Guess not.
What percentage of Canadians will actually get any money. They talk about everything Carney and this Liberal government is doing to help people yet my husband and I are seniors and get nothing.
bloody joke is what it is