Canada benefit payment dates 2026
If you're waiting on a government payment, here's the full 2026 calendar in one place — plus the two big changes this year that catch people off guard.
GST/HST credit — 2026 dates
| Payment | Date |
|---|---|
| Q1 | January 5, 2026 |
| Q2 | April 3, 2026 |
| One-time top-up | from June 5, 2026 |
| Q3 | July 3, 2026 |
| Q4 | October 5, 2026 |
The one-time top-up (equal to about 50% of the 2025–26 value) goes to people who were entitled to the January 2026 payment, as part of the transition described below.
Big change: the new Groceries & Essentials Benefit
The Canada Groceries and Essentials Benefit replaces the GST/HST credit starting July 2026, and is set to increase by 25% for five years. If you already qualify for the GST/HST credit, you generally don't need to do anything extra — but keep filing your taxes on time, because that's what makes you eligible.
Canada Child Benefit (CCB)
The CCB is paid monthly, around the 20th. Amounts depend on your family income and number of children, and are recalculated each July based on your prior-year return.
Heads up: the Carbon Rebate is gone
Federal carbon pricing was repealed and the Canada Carbon Rebate was permanently eliminated — April 2025 was the final payment. If you're still budgeting around it, that money isn't coming in 2026.
For a broader look at Canadian money basics — including which accounts to use for savings, how to build credit, and budgeting on variable income — see our Complete Canadian Money Guide.
Government payments land in your account — and then often sit there at 0.01% or get eaten by fees. Looni is being built to catch that: what's leaking, what's underperforming, and the one move to make. Canadian, and we only win when you keep more.