CGEB Eligibility and Income Cutoffs: Who Gets How Much in 2026-27

The Canada Groceries and Essentials Benefit (CGEB) starts July 3, 2026 and uses the same eligibility rules as the GST/HST credit it replaces. Here’s who qualifies for the July 2026 – June 2027 period and exactly how the amount is computed — or skip the math and use the CGEB calculator.

Who is eligible

You qualify if, at the start of a payment month, you are a Canadian resident for tax purposes and at least one of:

• 19 years of age or older
• have (or had) a spouse or common-law partner
• are (or were) a parent and live (or lived) with your child

There is no application — the CRA assesses you automatically from your 2025 tax return. File even with zero income; that’s how entitlement is established.

The 2026-27 amounts

• $445 — eligible individual
• $445 — spouse or common-law partner
• $445 — first eligible child of a single parent
• $234 — each other eligible child under 19
• up to $234 — single supplement (phases in at 2% of income over $11,564 for singles without children; single parents get the full amount)

The total is reduced by 5% of adjusted family net income above $46,432.

Income cutoffs by family size

Where the benefit reaches zero (2025 base year):

Family situation	Maximum annual CGEB	Income cutoff
Single, no children	$679	$60,012
Couple, no children	$890	$64,232
Single parent, 1 child	$1,124	$68,912
Couple, 1 child	$1,124	$68,912
Single parent or couple, 2 children	$1,358	$73,592
Couple, 3 children	$1,592	$78,272

Worked examples

Single, no children, $15,000 income: base $445 + supplement of 2% × ($15,000 − $11,564) = $68.72 → $513.72/year ($128.43/quarter).

Couple, two children, $50,000 AFNI: base $445 × 2 + $234 × 2 = $1,358, minus 5% × ($50,000 − $46,432) = $178.40 → $1,179.60/year ($294.90/quarter).

Single parent, one child, $30,000 income: $445 + full supplement $234 + first child $445 = $1,124/year ($281/quarter) — no phase-out below $46,432.

Things that change your payments mid-year

The CRA recalculates if your marital status changes, a child turns 19, the number of children in your care changes, or a reassessment changes your adjusted family net income. Keep your information current to avoid interruptions. Payment timing details are in CGEB payment dates, and the comparison with the old credit is in CGEB vs GST/HST credit.

Sources: CRA, CGEB — how much you can get and payment amounts.