GST/HST Credit Payment Dates 2026
The GST/HST credit became the Canada Groceries and Essentials Benefit (CGEB) in July 2026. It is still paid four times a year, around the 5th of January, April, July and October. Here is the full 2026 schedule and how the dates are set.
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When is the GST/HST credit paid in 2026?
The GST/HST credit is now paid as the Canada Groceries and Essentials Benefit (CGEB), on the same quarterly schedule. In 2026 the CRA paid it on 5 January, 2 April, 3 July and 5 October, plus a one-time top-up on 5 June. Payments fall on the 5th of January, April, July and October, or the last business day before.
GST payment dates 2026
The GST payment dates for 2026 were 5 January, 2 April, 3 July and 5 October, with an extra one-time top-up on 5 June. The first two payments went out under the GST/HST credit name. From July 2026 the same quarterly payment is called the Canada Groceries and Essentials Benefit, so the July and October payments are CGEB payments.
The rule behind the dates has not changed. The Canada Revenue Agency (CRA) pays on the 5th of January, April, July and October. When the 5th falls on a weekend or a federal statutory holiday, it pays on the last business day before it.
| Payment | Date | Paid as | Why this date |
|---|---|---|---|
| January | Monday 5 January 2026 | GST/HST credit | The 5th is a business day |
| April | Thursday 2 April 2026 | GST/HST credit (last quarterly payment) | The 5th is Easter Sunday and 3 April is Good Friday |
| June top-up | Friday 5 June 2026 | One-time GST/HST credit top-up | Special payment before the CGEB began |
| July | Friday 3 July 2026 | CGEB (first payment) | The 5th is a Sunday |
| October | Monday 5 October 2026 | CGEB | The 5th is a business day |
For 2027, the CRA's CGEB guide (RC4210) sets the January and April payments for the 5th of those months, under the same weekend and holiday rule. The CRA's payment dates page listed only the 2026 dates when this page was checked, so confirm 2027 dates there before relying on them.
Dates checked October 2026 on the CRA's CGEB payment dates page; confirm current dates with the CRA.
What happened to the GST/HST credit?
The GST/HST credit was renamed the Canada Groceries and Essentials Benefit in July 2026. The CRA says eligibility, the payment calculation and the quarterly structure are the same as before. The difference is the amount: the benefit was raised by 25% from July 2026, and the increase is set to last five years, to 2031.
For July 2026 to June 2027 the CGEB pays up to $679 a year for a single person, $890 for a couple and $234 for each child under 19, reduced above $46,432 of adjusted family net income. The CGEB guide explains the amounts, the calculation and the June top-up in full.
If you search for GST payment dates, the dates above are the ones that apply.
When is GST paid, and why does the payment year start in July?
GST is paid in July, October, January and April because the benefit runs on a year from July to the following June. Each benefit year is calculated from the tax return you filed that spring. The January and April 2026 payments used your 2024 return, and the July and October 2026 payments use your 2025 return.
This is why filing matters even with little or no income. The CRA asks you to file by 30 April each year to avoid a gap in quarterly payments. Late filers receive any missed amounts as a retroactive payment once the return is assessed.
If your benefit works out to less than $50 a quarter, the CRA pays the whole year in a single payment in July instead of four instalments.
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Who gets GST credit payments now?
Anyone who would have received the GST/HST credit now gets the CGEB on the same dates, because the eligibility rules did not change. You need to be a resident of Canada for tax purposes and at least 19, or have a spouse or common-law partner, or be a parent living with your child.
- No application is needed. The CRA checks eligibility when it assesses your return.
- Young adults get their first payment on the payment date after their 19th birthday, provided they filed a return.
- Newcomers can apply with Form RC151 for their first year as a resident.
- Residency must hold in the month before a payment and at the start of the month it is paid.
What to do if your GST credit payment is late
Wait 10 business days after the scheduled date before contacting the CRA. Direct deposit usually arrives on the day, but cheques take longer. After that, work through these checks in order.
- Sign in to your CRA account and open the benefits section to see whether a payment was issued and for how much.
- Check that your direct deposit details and mailing address are current.
- Confirm that you, and your spouse or partner if you have one, filed a return for the base year.
- Look for a new notice. Changes in marital status, income or children can reduce or stop a quarterly amount.
- If everything looks right and the money has not arrived, contact the CRA using the details on its contact page.
How to budget around quarterly GST payments
A quarterly payment is easy to spend without noticing. One approach is to divide it by three and treat each third as a monthly top-up to groceries or utilities. Another is to send the whole payment to a savings goal, such as an emergency fund or a winter heating bill.
If you run a small business, keep this benefit separate from the GST/HST you collect from customers, which belongs to the CRA. Our GST/HST expense tracker keeps sales tax paid and collected apart from personal income, and our guide to GST, HST and PST covers the tax itself.
In EMOH Pay you can log each payment as income on the day it lands and assign it to a budget category, so the money has a job before it disappears into everyday spending. The app is free to start on iPhone, Android and the web.
Other benefits run on their own calendars. The Canada Child Benefit is paid monthly; see our CCB payment dates. Ontario residents can check the Ontario Trillium Benefit dates, and the tax filing deadline is the date that keeps every one of these payments flowing.
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Get started free➜GST/HST Credit Payment Dates 2026: frequently asked questions
Is the GST/HST credit still paid?
Yes, under a new name. Since July 2026 it is called the Canada Groceries and Essentials Benefit and is paid on the same quarterly dates. The last payment under the GST/HST credit name was on 2 April 2026.
Is the GST credit paid monthly?
No. The GST/HST credit, now the CGEB, is paid quarterly, in January, April, July and October. Monthly benefits such as the Canada Child Benefit are separate programs.
Why did I get a GST payment on the 2nd or 3rd instead of the 5th?
When the 5th falls on a weekend or a federal statutory holiday, the CRA pays on the last business day before it. In 2026 that moved the April payment to 2 April and the July payment to 3 July.
What was the 5 June 2026 payment?
It was a one-time top-up to the GST/HST credit, paid before the CGEB began. It generally added 50% to the July 2025 to June 2026 credit for people entitled to the January 2026 payment.
Is the GST/HST credit taxable?
No. CGEB payments are not taxable, so you do not report them as income on your return.
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