GST/HST Credit Payment Dates: 2026 Schedule & Eligibility

The GST/HST credit pays eligible individuals and families on a quarterly schedule, but as of July 2026 it carries a new name: the Canada Groceries and Essentials Benefit (CGEB). For the 2026 calendar year the payment dates are January 5, April 2, July 3 and October 5. The eligibility test — Canadian tax residency, a minimum age of 19 (with exceptions), and an annual tax return — is unchanged from the GST/HST credit rules; only the name and the amount changed.

The rename: GST/HST credit is now the Canada Groceries and Essentials Benefit

The Canada Revenue Agency (CRA) replaced the GST/HST credit with the Canada Groceries and Essentials Benefit (CGEB) effective July 2026. Under the new name, eligibility, the payment calculation method and the quarterly structure carry over unchanged from the GST/HST credit. Alongside the rename, the CRA applied a 25% increase to the benefit amount, which it has said will hold for five years, from 2026 to 2031.

Because the transition happened mid-year, your 2026 payment history is mixed:

• Your January and April 2026 payments were issued under the old name, as GST/HST credit payments.
• Your July and October 2026 payments are issued under the new name, as CGEB payments.

If you were already receiving the GST/HST credit and your personal situation has not changed, you are very likely eligible for the CGEB — the CRA carried eligible recipients over automatically, without a new application. If you search for "GST/HST credit" you will still find CRA guidance under both names for a transition period, since the older name remains the one most people recognize and search for.

2026 payment dates

The payment period runs from July to June of the following year, and your benefit amount is recalculated every July based on your most recently filed tax return. The January and April payments in any given year are based on the tax return filed for two years prior; the July and October payments are based on the tax return filed for the immediately preceding year.

Basic eligibility criteria

To receive a payment, you must meet all of the following as of the payment date:

• You are a resident of Canada for tax purposes, both in the month before the payment and at the start of the month the payment is made.
• You are at least 19 years old. If you are under 19, you can still qualify if you have (or had) a spouse or common-law partner, or you are (or were) a parent who lives with your child.
• You have filed a tax return for the relevant prior year, even if you had no income to report. The CRA does not require a separate application — filing triggers its automatic eligibility check.

Whether you actually receive money, and how much, depends on your adjusted family net income (AFNI) falling under the relevant threshold — that financial side of eligibility, along with the exact dollar amounts, is covered in our GST/HST credit amounts and eligibility thresholds guide.

Turning 19 during the year

If you have filed your tax return for the previous year and meet the other criteria, the CRA issues your first payment on the next scheduled payment date after your 19th birthday. There is no separate sign-up step for turning 19 — the trigger is having a filed tax return on record so the CRA can run its automatic determination.

Shared custody

If you share custody of a child, you may each be entitled to half of the benefit amount attributable to that child, and any related provincial or territorial program paid alongside the benefit follows the same 50/50 split. If your custody arrangement changes and you become the primary caregiver, your amount is updated once your Canada child benefit records reflect the change. A child under the legal, physical or financial responsibility of a child welfare agency is generally not eligible for this benefit.

If your payment doesn't arrive

A few things to check before assuming a payment is missing:

• Confirm the amount threshold. If your entitlement works out to less than $50 per quarter, the CRA does not issue four small instalments — it pays the full annual amount as one lump sum in July. This is the most common reason a payment looks "missing" in other quarters.
• Check your CRA account for the payment status, your next expected date and amount, and your statement of account.
• Make sure your personal information is current, particularly your marital status, number of eligible children, and direct deposit details — any of these changing can shift your payment amount or timing.
• If none of the above explains it, wait 10 business days past the expected payment date before contacting the CRA.

Get a reminder before each payment

The CRA offers an optional email reminder service for benefit and credit payments, sent about a week before each payment is issued. Combined with a CRA account, where you can view your next expected payment date and amount, your full-year payment schedule, and your statement of account, this is the most reliable way to track your own schedule rather than relying on a generic calendar of dates.

This page explains a federal individual benefit administered by the CRA; it is general information, not personalized tax advice. Figures and dates are accurate as of September 2026 and sourced from canada.ca — check your CRA account for your own entitlement and schedule.