The quarterly payment most people still call the GST/HST credit was renamed the Canada Groceries and Essentials Benefit (CGEB) in July 2026. The name changed, the payment schedule did not — it still arrives four times a year, in early January, April, July and October.
Here are the 2027 dates.
CGEB / GST-HST Credit Payment Dates 2027
- Tuesday, January 5, 2027
- Monday, April 5, 2027
- Monday, July 5, 2027
- Tuesday, October 5, 2027
The rule behind these dates: the CRA issues the payment on the 5th of the quarter month, moving it to the preceding business day if the 5th falls on a weekend or federal holiday. All four dates fall on a business day in 2027, so none shift.
The July Payment Is the One That Changes
Like most CRA benefits, this one runs on a benefit year that starts in July, not in January. The July 2027 payment is the first of the 2027–28 benefit year, recalculated from your 2026 tax return.
That means the January and April 2027 payments still reflect your 2025 income, and the July and October payments reflect 2026. If your income changed meaningfully in 2026, you will see the difference in July — not in January.
You Do Not Apply For It
There is no application form. The CRA determines eligibility automatically from your filed tax return, which produces the single most common failure: no return, no payment.
This matters disproportionately for newcomers. If you arrived partway through a year and earned nothing in Canada, filing feels pointless — but the return is what triggers the benefit assessment. Newcomers can also apply for the credit for their first year using Form RC151, before they have a Canadian return to file.
Who Actually Receives It
Eligibility is broader than most people assume. You generally qualify if you are a Canadian resident for tax purposes, are 19 or older (or have a spouse, partner, or child), and your household income falls under the threshold. The amount reduces gradually as income rises rather than cutting off sharply.
Students, seniors, part-time workers and newcomers in their first low-income years are all common recipients. If you have never checked whether you receive it, your CRA My Account will show the assessment.
What the 2026 Change Actually Did
The July 2026 rebrand was not just a name change — payment amounts rose roughly 25%, well beyond the usual inflation indexation. If you were receiving the credit before July 2026 and the amounts look noticeably different now, that is why.
If a Payment Does Not Arrive
Wait five business days past the payment date before contacting the CRA. Then check three things: that your most recent return is filed and assessed, that your direct deposit information is current, and that a change in marital status has been reported. A marriage or separation recalculates household income and can change or pause the payment.
Note also that if your total annual entitlement is small, the CRA may issue it as a single lump sum in July rather than in four instalments.
