CRA Benefit Payments Coming in July 2026: What Newcomers Could Get

This replaces the old GST/HST credit and comes with a 25 percent increase in payment amounts. July 20 also kicks off a new Canada Child Benefit year, meaning your monthly child benefit payment may change.

Here is what to expect, who qualifies for CRA benefit payments, and how much you could receive.

Key Takeaways 

• July 3 brings the first regular quarterly Canada Groceries and Essentials Benefit (CGEB) payment, replacing the GST/HST credit with 25 percent higher amounts for five years
• CCB payments on July 20 begin a new benefit year calculated from your 2025 income, so your amount may be different from what you received previously
• CPP and OAS both arrive July 29; OAS amounts are adjusted quarterly and will be updated for the July cycle
• Most of these CRA benefit payments are tax-free and depend on the income and household information from your prior year’s tax return

Canada Groceries and Essentials Benefit (CGEB) – July 3, 2026

The Canada Groceries and Essentials Benefit officially replaces the GST/HST credit in July 2026. The eligibility, payment calculation, and structure stay the same, but starting this month, the benefit amount increases by 25 percent and will remain at that level for five years, through 2031.

Payments are tax-free and issued quarterly. Your eligibility and payment amount are based on your 2025 adjusted family net income. If you filed a tax return, the CRA will automatically assess whether you qualify. No separate application is needed.

Who Qualifies for the Canada Groceries and Essentials Benefit?

When you file your taxes, you are automatically considered for the benefit and any related provincial and territorial programs. You may qualify if you are 19 or older, have a spouse or common-law partner, or have a dependent child. Temporary residents who have lived in Canada for at least 18 consecutive months on a valid permit may also be eligible.

How Much Could You Receive Under the Canada Groceries and Essentials Benefit?

For the July 2026 to June 2027 payment period, the CGEB amount is based on your 2025 tax return. You could receive up to $679 annually if you are single, up to $890 if you are married or have a common-law partner, and up to $234 for each eligible child under 19. These annual totals are paid in four quarterly installments, with the first arriving July 3.

If you live in New Brunswick, Prince Edward Island, or Saskatchewan, your provincial credit is included in the same July 3 deposit. Maximum annual amounts for each are:

• New Brunswick harmonized sales tax credit: Up to $300 for an individual, $300 for a spouse or common-law partner, and $100 per child under 19. The credit begins to reduce once adjusted family net income exceeds $35,000.
• PEI Island Essentials Benefit: $310 for individuals or $365 for couples and single parents.
• Saskatchewan low-income tax credit: $460 for an individual, $460 for a spouse or partner, and $181 per child for up to two children, for a maximum of $1,282 per family annually. The credit begins to reduce when adjusted family net income exceeds $39,345 and phases out entirely at $81,668.

Canada Child Benefit (CCB) – July 20, 2026

The Canada Child Benefit is a monthly tax-free payment for families raising children under 18. Benefit payments are recalculated every July based on your adjusted family net income from the previous year.

That means your July 20 deposit begins a new 12-month benefit year, calculated from your 2025 income. If your earnings changed last year, your monthly payment may go up or down. You can check your updated entitlement through your CRA My Account.

Who Qualifies for the Canada Child Benefit?

You need to live with a child under 18 and be primarily responsible for their daily care. You or your partner must be a Canadian citizen, permanent resident, protected person, or a temporary resident who has lived in Canada for at least 18 consecutive months with a valid permit.

As a newcomer, you can apply for the CCB as soon as you have a Social Insurance Number. You do not need to wait until you have filed your first tax return.

How Much Could You Receive Under the Canada Child Benefit?

For the July 2026 to June 2027 benefit year, the maximum CCB amounts are up to $8,157 per year ($679.75 per month) for each child under 6, and up to $6,883 per year ($573.58 per month) for each child aged 6 to 17. Families with a 2025 adjusted family net income under $38,237 receive the full amount. Payments decrease as income rises above that threshold.

Provincial Benefits Paid with the July 20 CCB Deposit

Most provinces and territories include their child benefit in the same deposit as the CCB each month. You do not need to apply separately. Current maximum monthly amounts are:

• British Columbia Family Benefit: Up to $145.83 for the first child, declining with income and phasing out above $96,562 in family net income
• Ontario Child Benefit: Up to $146.66 per child
• Nova Scotia Child Benefit: Up to $127.08 per child, phasing out at $34,000 in family net income
• New Brunswick Child Tax Benefit: Up to $41.66 per child. The July payment will also include a one-time New Brunswick School Supplement of $100 per eligible child for families with a net adjusted income of $20,000 or less.
• Prince Edward Island Child Benefit: Up to $34.16 per child, phasing out above $80,000 in family income
• Yukon Child Benefit: Up to $80.50 per child
• Northwest Territories Child Benefit: Up to $67.91 for the first child
• Nunavut Child Benefit: Up to $53.16 per child

Alberta and Quebec run their child benefits on separate schedules, so those do not arrive with the CCB deposit.

Ontario Trillium Benefit (OTB) – July 10, 2026

If you live in Ontario, the Ontario Trillium Benefit combines three separate credits into a single payment: the Ontario Energy and Property Tax Credit, the Northern Ontario Energy Credit, and the Ontario Sales Tax Credit.

Who Qualifies for the Ontario Trillium Benefit?

You need to be an Ontario resident who has filed a tax return. Eligibility depends on which of the three credits applies to your situation:

• The Ontario Energy and Property Tax Credit is for people who paid rent or property tax on their main home, or who lived in a public long-term care home
• The Northern Ontario Energy Credit applies to residents of designated northern communities who paid rent or property tax
• The Ontario Sales Tax Credit is available to people 19 or older with low to moderate income, those with a spouse or partner, or parents living with a child

How Much Could You Receive Under the Ontario Trillium Benefit?

Amounts depend on your income, rent or property tax paid, and location. Approximate yearly maximums are up to $378 per adult and child for the sales tax credit, up to $1,488 for the energy and property tax credit, and up to $189 per year for single adults (or $290 per family) for the northern energy credit.

Most people receive a combined monthly payment. If your annual OTB entitlement is $500 or less, it will be issued as a single lump-sum payment in July. If you chose to defer your payment and your annual entitlement is over $500, it will be issued in one payment at the end of the benefit year on June 10, 2027.

Advanced Canada Workers Benefit (ACWB) – July 10, 2026

The Advanced Canada Workers Benefit is an advance on the Canada Workers Benefit, a refundable tax credit for Canadians with low working incomes. July 10 is the first of three installment dates for the year, with the remaining two in October and January.

Who Qualifies for the Advanced Canada Workers Benefit?

You are eligible if you are 19 or older, a Canadian resident throughout the year with earned working income, and your net income falls below the threshold set for your province or territory and household situation. For most of Canada, that threshold is $37,742 for single individuals without children and $49,393 for families. Residents of Quebec, Alberta, and Nunavut have different thresholds. Most people who received the Canada Workers Benefit when filing their 2025 return will receive the advance payments automatically.

How Much Could You Receive Under the Advanced Canada Workers Benefit?

For the 2025 tax year, the maximum basic Canada Workers Benefit is $1,633 for single individuals and $2,813 for families. Advanced payments represent up to 50 percent of your total annual entitlement, spread across three installments. The July amount is calculated from your last filed return. Residents of Quebec, Nunavut, and Alberta have different maximums that vary from the national figures.

Canada Pension Plan (CPP) – July 29, 2026

The Canada Pension Plan is a monthly retirement benefit funded by contributions from workers and employers during your working years in Canada. Unlike most other benefits listed here, CPP payments are taxable. Quebec residents receive the Quebec Pension Plan instead.

Who Qualifies for CPP?

You can start receiving CPP as early as age 60 or delay it until age 70 for a higher monthly amount. You must have made at least one valid CPP contribution. Canada also has social security agreements with several countries, which may help you qualify if you do not have enough Canadian contributions on their own.

How Much Could You Receive Under CPP?

The maximum monthly CPP retirement pension at age 65 was $1,507.65 as of January 2026. The average was $925.35 per month. Most people receive less than the maximum because reaching it requires consistent contributions near the yearly earnings ceiling throughout a full career.

Old Age Security (OAS) and Guaranteed Income Supplement (GIS) – July 29, 2026

OAS is a monthly pension for Canadians aged 65 and older, funded by federal tax revenue. GIS is a non-taxable top-up for low-income OAS recipients.

OAS amounts are adjusted each January, April, July, and October to reflect any increases in the cost of living. The July 2026 amounts will reflect the latest quarterly adjustment.

Who Qualifies for OAS and GIS?

For OAS, you need to be 65 or older, have legal status in Canada, and meet residency requirements. A full pension generally requires 40 years of residence in Canada after age 18, though a partial pension is available after 10 years. Your OAS payments will be reduced if your net world income exceeds $90,997 and are eliminated entirely above $148,451 for those aged 65 to 74.

For GIS, you must already receive OAS and have a low annual income. The income cut-off for a single person is $22,512.

How Much Could You Receive Under OAS and GIS?

For April to June 2026, the maximum OAS pension was $743.05 per month for those aged 65 to 74, and $817.36 per month for those 75 and older. The July rate is expected to be 1.2 percent higher and will be published when updated. GIS can add up to $1,109.85 per month for a single person, depending on income and marital status.

How Benefit Payments Are Calculated in Canada

Almost all these benefits are based on income you reported to the CRA the previous year. July 2026 payments generally draw on your 2025 tax return, which would have been filed in early 2026.

Filing a return each year is essential, even if you had little or no income. It is often the only step required to access these payments. For some benefits, like the CCB, newcomers don’t need to file a tax return, but you must register with the CRA.

Keeping your address, marital status, and household information up to date in your CRA account helps ensure payments arrive accurately and on time.