Department of Finance Canada said Bill C-19, the Canada Groceries and Essentials Benefit Act, received Royal Assent on February 12, 2026.
The legislation provides a one-time top-up payment equal to a 50 per cent increase in the annual 2025-26 value of the GST Credit. The payment is expected to deliver $3.1 billion in immediate assistance to 12 million Canadians who currently receive the GST Credit.
The Act also increases the value of the Canada Groceries and Essentials Benefit by 25 per cent for five years starting in July 2026. That increase is expected to deliver $8.6 billion in additional support over the 2026-27 to 2030-31 period, including support for 500,000 additional individuals and families.
A family of four could receive up to $1,890 in the first year and about $1,400 annually for the next four years. A single person could receive up to $950 in the first year and about $700 annually after that.
The department connected the legislation to food-price pressure, saying food prices had risen faster than overall inflation since 2020 and cost the average household $782.
The measure changes the benefit system through the GST/HST-credit channel, replacing the former GST/HST credit with a larger Canada Groceries and Essentials Benefit.