GST/HST Credit Payment Dates (2026)
The GST/HST credit comes four times a year, not monthly: January, April, July and October. In July 2026 it was renamed the Canada Groceries and Essentials Benefit, or CGEB, so 2026 is split between two names, but by the CRA's account nothing about who qualifies or how it's calculated changed. All four 2026 payments are out. The next is due in January 2027; the CRA hasn't published the exact date yet.
Next payment
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Four quarterly payments
The third column shows which name each payment went out under.
| Quarter | Payment date | Day | Paid as | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| January | January 5, 2026 | Monday | GST/HST credit | |
| April | April 2, 2026 | Thursday | GST/HST credit | |
| July | July 3, 2026 | Friday | Canada Groceries and Essentials Benefit | |
| October | October 5, 2026 | Monday | Canada Groceries and Essentials Benefit |
The 2026 payments fell on the 5th, the 2nd, the 3rd and the 5th. The CRA publishes each year's quarterly dates without stating a rule for picking them, so this page waits for the official January 2027 date instead of guessing it.
Why it comes quarterly, and why July matters
The benefit year runs from July to June. Every July the annual amount is reset from the previous year's return and split into four instalments. So the January and April 2026 payments, made as the GST/HST credit, were based on 2024 income, and the July and October payments, made under the new name, on 2025 income. If a quarterly instalment would be less than $50, the CRA pays the whole year's amount in a single July payment instead.
The rename came with one real change: the CRA says the benefit amount went up 25% from July 2026 and stays at that level for five years, through 2031.
The June 5 payment that wasn't on the calendar
Anyone entitled to the GST/HST credit in January 2026 also got a one-time top-up on June 5, 2026, before the rename took effect. It doesn't appear on the quarterly schedule. In most cases it was 50% of the annual credit for July 2025 to June 2026, about twice the January payment, and it left out provincial and territorial amounts.
Turning 19, filing late, and missing payments
For most people the credit starts at 19. If you file the previous year's return, the first payment comes on the next scheduled date after your 19th birthday, even if that return shows no income. A return filed after July is assessed first, and anything owed for earlier quarters comes as a catch-up with the next scheduled payment.
If a payment doesn't arrive, the CRA's advice is to hold off ten business days before calling, and meanwhile to look up the payment in your CRA account and make sure your banking information is current. The CRA's email reminders go out about a week before each date.
Common questions
When is the next GST/HST credit payment?
In January 2027. The CRA had not published the exact date as of October 2026; October 5 was the final 2026 payment.
Is the Canada Groceries and Essentials Benefit the same as the GST/HST credit?
Yes. The CGEB succeeded the GST/HST credit, starting July 2026, with the same eligibility, payment calculation and structure. It is paid quarterly on the same pattern, and the amount rose 25% from July 2026.
What was the June 5, 2026 GST payment?
A one-time GST/HST credit top-up for people entitled to the credit in January 2026. In most cases it equalled half of the annual credit for July 2025 to June 2026.