Canada grocery benefit calculator: your 2026–27 payments and the 2027 top-up
Updated November 10, 2026 · CRA 2026–27 amounts (2025 base year) and Budget 2026 (Nov 5, 2026)
The Canada Groceries and Essentials Benefit pays up to $679 a year for a single person and $1,358 for a couple with two children in 2026–27. Budget 2026 proposes a one-time top-up in early 2027 worth half of that again: up to $339.50 for a single person and $679 for a family of four. Enter your income to see your quarterly payment and your top-up.
Calculate your grocery benefit
Your net income is on line 23600 of your 2025 return or your notice of assessment. Couples add both lines together.
Maximum payments by family type
These are the amounts at low and modest incomes, before any reduction. The benefit shrinks by 5 cents for every dollar of family net income above $46,432.
| Family | 2026–27 benefit | Each quarter | 2027 top-up (proposed) | Total | Ends at income |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Single, no children | $679 | $169.75 | $339.50 | $1,018.50 | $60,012 |
| Single parent, 1 child | $1,124 | $281.00 | $562.00 | $1,686.00 | $68,912 |
| Single parent, 2 children | $1,358 | $339.50 | $679.00 | $2,037.00 | $73,592 |
| Couple, no children | $890 | $222.50 | $445.00 | $1,335.00 | $64,232 |
| Couple, 1 child | $1,124 | $281.00 | $562.00 | $1,686.00 | $68,912 |
| Couple, 2 children | $1,358 | $339.50 | $679.00 | $2,037.00 | $73,592 |
| Couple, 3 children | $1,592 | $398.00 | $796.00 | $2,388.00 | $78,272 |
| Couple, 4 children | $1,826 | $456.50 | $913.00 | $2,739.00 | $82,952 |
Single people without children get the full amount once net income reaches $23,264; below that, the $234 single supplement phases in at 2% of income above $11,564.
What you get at your income
Annual 2026–27 benefit, with the proposed one-time 2027 top-up after the plus sign.
| 2025 family net income | Single | Couple | Couple, 2 kids | Single parent, 1 child |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| $15,000 | $513.72 + $256.86 | $890.00 + $445.00 | $1,358.00 + $679.00 | $1,124.00 + $562.00 |
| $20,000 | $613.72 + $306.86 | $890.00 + $445.00 | $1,358.00 + $679.00 | $1,124.00 + $562.00 |
| $30,000 | $679.00 + $339.50 | $890.00 + $445.00 | $1,358.00 + $679.00 | $1,124.00 + $562.00 |
| $40,000 | $679.00 + $339.50 | $890.00 + $445.00 | $1,358.00 + $679.00 | $1,124.00 + $562.00 |
| $46,432 | $679.00 + $339.50 | $890.00 + $445.00 | $1,358.00 + $679.00 | $1,124.00 + $562.00 |
| $50,000 | $500.60 + $250.30 | $711.60 + $355.80 | $1,179.60 + $589.80 | $945.60 + $472.80 |
| $55,000 | $250.60 + $125.30 | $461.60 + $230.80 | $929.60 + $464.80 | $695.60 + $347.80 |
| $60,000 | $0.60 + $0.30 | $211.60 + $105.80 | $679.60 + $339.80 | $445.60 + $222.80 |
| $65,000 | $0 | $0 | $429.60 + $214.80 | $195.60 + $97.80 |
| $70,000 | $0 | $0 | $179.60 + $89.80 | $0 |
| $75,000 | $0 | $0 | $0 | $0 |
Payment dates
| Quarterly payment 1 | July 3, 2026 |
|---|---|
| Quarterly payment 2 | October 5, 2026 |
| Quarterly payment 3 | January 2027 |
| One-time top-up (proposed) | Early 2027 |
| Quarterly payment 4 | April 2027 |
CRA hasn't posted the exact 2027 dates yet. The July 2027 to June 2028 amounts will be based on your 2026 tax return.
What you can do now
- File your 2025 return if you haven't. No return, no benefit, and no top-up. Even with no income, filing is what makes you eligible.
- Check your amount in CRA My Account. Your notice shows the exact quarterly payment, and the top-up should appear there once it's paid.
- Update your marital status and children. A change in your family changes your payment. Tell CRA by the end of the month after the change.
- Make sure direct deposit is set up so the payments, and the top-up, arrive on the payment date.
Questions people ask
How much is the Canada Groceries and Essentials Benefit for 2026–27?
Up to $679 a year for a single person, $890 for a couple and $234 more for each child under 19. A single parent gets $445 for the first child plus the full $234 single supplement. It is paid in four quarterly payments from July 2026 to April 2027 and is based on your 2025 tax return.
What is the one-time grocery benefit top-up in 2027?
Budget 2026, tabled November 5, 2026, proposes a one-time supplement in early 2027 equal to half of the 2026–27 benefit: up to $339.50 for a single person and $679 for a couple with two children. It still has to be passed by Parliament, and no payment date has been announced.
When are the payment dates?
CRA paid the 2026–27 benefit on July 3 and October 5, 2026. The next payments are in January and April 2027; CRA has not posted the exact 2027 dates yet. If your quarterly amount is under $50, you get the whole year in one payment in July.
Who qualifies?
Canadian residents 19 or older (or younger with a spouse, partner or child) who filed a 2025 tax return. It stops at 2025 adjusted family net income of about $60,012 for a single person, $64,232 for a couple and $82,952 for a family with four children.
Do I need to apply?
No. CRA works it out when you file your tax return. Children you get the Canada child benefit for are included automatically. Couples are assessed on combined income, and one partner receives the payment.
Is the grocery benefit taxable?
No. The Canada Groceries and Essentials Benefit is tax-free, and you don't report it as income.
Is this the same as the GST/HST credit?
Yes, it replaced and renamed the GST/HST credit. Amounts rose 25% from July 2026 for five years (through 2030–31), and a one-time top-up was paid in June 2026.
How we calculate the 2027 top-up: Budget 2026 describes it as half of the 2026–27 maximum amounts, phased in and out at the same income levels as the regular benefit, so we show half of your 2026–27 amount. The budget's technical notes also list 6% and 15% phase-in and phase-out rates for the supplement, which don't match that description; if the final law uses them, the top-up would differ for some incomes. We'll update this page when the legislation is published.
Sources
- CRA: payments chart, July 2026 to June 2027 (2025 base year)
- CRA: who is eligible for the Canada Groceries and Essentials Benefit
- CRA: payment dates
- Budget 2026, Tax measures: supplementary information (2027 CGEB Supplement)
- Department of Finance: Budget 2026 key measures (Nov 5, 2026)
- Department of Finance: the new Canada Groceries and Essentials Benefit (Jan 26, 2026)
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