The 2026 grocery rebate is a quarterly tax-free payment from the CRA designed to help lower- and modest-income Canadians offset rising grocery and essentials costs. The first payment lands on July 5, 2026 — and includes a 50% transition top-up to bridge the gap from the final GST/HST credit payment on April 4, 2026.
Four payments across the 2026–27 benefit year. The July 5 payment is unusually large because it bundles a 50% transition top-up:
| Payment | Date | Amount |
|---|---|---|
| 1st (with top-up) | July 5, 2026 | ~50% of annual entitlement |
| 2nd | October 5, 2026 | Quarterly amount |
| 3rd | January 5, 2027 | Quarterly amount |
| 4th | April 5, 2027 | Quarterly amount |
For a per-bank deposit timing breakdown (RBC, TD, Scotiabank, etc.), see the full CGEB payment schedule.
You qualify for the 2026 grocery rebate if you meet all four of these conditions:
Newcomers can register early using form RC151 — the CRA back-pays from your residency start date. For a 30-second guided check, run the CGEB eligibility checker.
Full benefit below $45,521 of adjusted family net income. Above that, the benefit phases out at 5 cents per dollar:
| Household | Max annual amount | Income at $0 benefit |
|---|---|---|
| Single adult | $680 | ~$59,000 |
| Couple, no children | $650 | ~$58,500 |
| Couple + 1 child | $780 | ~$61,000 |
| Couple + 2 children | $910 | ~$64,000 |
| Couple + 4 children | $1,170 | ~$69,000 |
Maximum amounts before any income phase-out:
Use the CGEB calculator for an exact estimate based on your situation, including the July 5 transition top-up.
The CGEB roughly doubles the per-adult base of the old GST/HST credit ($496 vs $340 single, $650 vs $446 couple), pays $130 per child (vs $117), and uses the same income phase-out at $45,521. The GST/HST credit ends April 4, 2026; the new grocery rebate starts July 5, 2026. See the full side-by-side in our CGEB vs GST/HST credit comparison.
This page canonicalizes to /cgeb-2026 (the official benefit guide).