The Canada Revenue Agency began issuing a one-time top-up payment under the Canada Groceries and Essentials Benefit.
The payment is tied to the GST Credit system. The top-up equals a 50% increase in the annual 2025-26 value of the Goods and Services Tax Credit.
Recipients should see the payment as a GST/HST credit on their CRA notice of determination. Those using direct deposit should also see the payment identified on their bank statement.
The immediate top-up will deliver $3.1 billion to 12 million Canadians who currently receive the GST Credit, including about 2.7 million people in Quebec.
The announcement also described a longer-term increase. The measure is projected to provide $8.6 billion in additional support from 2026-27 to 2030-31 and reach 500,000 additional individuals and families.
Quarterly enriched payments are expected to begin in July. One example in the release said a single senior with $25,000 in net income would receive a $267 top-up and a $136 longer-term increase for the 2026-27 benefit year, for a total increase of $402.
The benefit changes the amount and timing of GST/HST-credit-related payments rather than creating a separate application process.
For households, the practical effect depends on CRA-administered benefit eligibility and family income information. The direct tax-benefit channel is the GST/HST credit system, which is why the payment appears through CRA benefit notices and deposits.