The Canada Groceries and Essentials Benefit could receive a one-time boost in early 2027 under a proposal included in Budget 2026.
The federal government says the proposed supplement would equal 50% of a recipient’s benefit for the 2026–27 payment year.
The proposal would provide up to $339 for a single person without children and up to $679 for a couple with two children, depending on eligibility and household circumstances.
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Canada Groceries And Essentials Benefit: What Budget 2026 proposes
The proposed 2027 Canada Groceries and Essentials Benefit Supplement would be paid as a standalone amount rather than being folded into the normal quarterly payment schedule.
Budget documents describe the payment as a one-time supplement for the 2026–27 benefit year, with delivery planned for early 2027.
The government estimates that more than 12 million low- and modest-income Canadians would receive support through the measure.
| Household example | Maximum proposed supplement |
|---|---|
| Single person without children | $339 |
| Couple with two children | $679 |
The amounts are maximum examples, not guaranteed payments for every person in those household categories.
How the existing benefit works
The Canada Groceries and Essentials Benefit, formerly the GST/HST credit, is a non-taxable quarterly payment for eligible individuals and families with low or modest incomes.
The Canada Revenue Agency calculates the benefit using factors such as adjusted family net income, marital status and the number of eligible children.
For the payment period running from July 2026 to June 2027, the CRA uses information from 2025 tax returns.
Under the current 2026–27 rules, the CRA lists maximum annual amounts of $679 for a single individual, $890 for a married or common-law couple and $234 for each eligible child under 19.
A couple with two children could therefore receive up to $1,358 in regular annual CGEB payments before the proposed 50% supplement is considered.
Half of that maximum is $679, which matches the household example published by the Department of Finance.
Who could receive the 2027 supplement
The supplement is aimed at people who qualify for the 2026–27 Canada Groceries and Essentials Benefit.
Eligibility would continue to depend on income, family composition and other existing CGEB rules rather than on a separate grocery-benefit application.
The CRA says eligible people are generally assessed automatically after filing their tax returns.
People who have not filed the relevant tax return may not receive the benefit until the CRA has the information needed to assess their entitlement.
When could the money arrive?
Budget 2026 describes the supplement as an early-2027 payment.
The draft tax legislation refers to an additional deemed payment for January 2027, but the government has not published an individual payment date in the key-measures announcement.
Recipients should therefore wait for confirmation from the CRA before assuming that the supplement will arrive on the regular January CGEB payment date.
The proposal is not yet a confirmed payment
The supplement remains a Budget 2026 proposal until the required legislative process is completed.
The Department of Finance has published draft amendments that would authorize the additional payment, but the draft text itself is not the same as an enacted law.
Until the measure is approved and implemented, the regular CGEB rules and payment schedule remain the basis for current entitlement information.
Eligible recipients can monitor their CRA account and keep their personal and family information up to date to reduce the risk of payment delays or incorrect calculations.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the proposed Canada Groceries and Essentials Benefit supplement?
It is a proposed one-time payment equal to 50% of an eligible recipient’s 2026–27 Canada Groceries and Essentials Benefit amount.
How much could the 2027 supplement be worth?
The published maximum examples are $339 for a single person without children and $679 for a couple with two children.
When would the supplement be paid?
Budget 2026 says the payment would be delivered in early 2027, while draft legislation refers to January 2027. A specific CRA payment date has not yet been confirmed.
Do people need to apply for the supplement?
The proposal is designed to use existing Canada Groceries and Essentials Benefit eligibility, which the CRA generally determines automatically from tax-return information.
Is the supplement already guaranteed?
No. It remains a Budget 2026 proposal and requires the necessary legislative approval and implementation before it becomes a confirmed payment.
Fact-Checked: The proposed supplement, maximum examples, benefit-year rules and draft January 2027 payment provision were checked against Department of Finance Canada, Budget 2026 and CRA information.
Disclaimer: This article describes a proposed federal measure, and final eligibility, timing and payment rules may change before implementation.