Canadians to get one-time groceries benefit payment this summer

Eligible Canadians will receive a one-time groceries benefit payment under the new Canada and Essentials Benefit, replacing the GST/HST credit.

Canadians will see their one-time groceries benefit payment on June 5, Canada Revenue Agency (CRA) Secretary of State Wayne Long announced Friday.

It’s part of the government’s new Canada Groceries and Essentials Benefit (CGEB), which will replace the existing GST/HST credit.

Long cautioned Canadians that they must file their income tax return in order to be eligible for the refund.

Anyone who was eligible for the existing GST/HST rebate will also be eligible for the CGEB. See this guide if you’re not sure if you qualify.

How much will you get?

Qualifying Canadians will receive a payment based on their familial status.

Single Canadians and single-parent families will get a maximum payout of:

• $267 with no children
• $441 with one child
• $533 with two children
• $625 with three children
• $717 with four children

Married or common-law individuals will get a maximum payment of:

• $349 with no children
• $441 with one child
• $533 with two children
• $625 with three children
• $717 with four children

The one-time payment is in addition to the overall quarterly benefit amount.

Combined, a family of four could receive up to $1,890 in 2026, and a single person could receive up to $950 in 2026, including the top-up, according to the CRA.

The benefit will be indexed to inflation, Long added.

“This means the amounts paid to Canadians each year will increase and be adjusted with the cost of living,” he said.

“As a society, as a country, and as a government, we should be judged by how we reach out, look after, and protect our most vulnerable.”

Canadian food prices

Statistics Canada reported prices on basics at the grocery story have jumped since the start of 2026. A whole chicken cost $8.57 per kilogram on average in February (the most recent reference period), up more than a dollar from the month before.

Ground beef rose $1.10 per kilogram and bananas were up 14 cents per kilogram. Some prices also fell from January to February. A 500-gram pack of bacon, for example, fell six cents. Chicken drumsticks dropped by 55 cents per kilogram.

However, that data does not include the most recent effects on shipping costs caused by the war in Iran, which led to worldwide spikes in gas costs due to the closure of the Strait of Hormuz.