Here's how much money you can get from the Canada Groceries and Essentials Benefit this month

Canada Groceries and Essentials Benefit payments are going out to individuals and families across the country in October.

You can get over $100 if you're single or more than $200 if you have a spouse, plus additional amounts if you have children.

Canada Revenue Agency (CRA) issues this grocery benefit to eligible Canadians in July, October, January and April.

It's a tax-free payment to help individuals and families with low and modest incomes manage the "rising costs of everyday essentials," including groceries.

The grocery benefit replaced the GST/HST credit in July, and the federal government increased payment amounts by 25%. That boost will remain in place until 2031.

Canada Groceries and Essentials Benefit payments are made quarterly instead of monthly, so the next payment date is Monday, October 5, 2026.

To be eligible for the Canada Groceries and Essentials Benefit, you must be a resident of Canada for tax purposes in the month before the CRA makes a payment and at the start of the month when a payment is made.

You must also be at least 19 years old, but if you're under 19 years of age, you must meet at least one of the following conditions to be eligible:

• you have (or had) a spouse or common-law partner
• you are (or were) a parent and live (or lived) with your child

You may be entitled to the Canada Groceries and Essentials Benefit if your 2025 adjusted family net income is less than the maximum income thresholds set by the CRA.

The amount of money you get from your Canada Groceries and Essentials Benefit payments is based on:

• your adjusted family net income
• your marital status
• the number of children under 19 years old in your care who are eligible for the Canada Child Benefit, Canada Groceries and Essentials Benefit, or both

For the current benefit period between July 2026 and June 2027, you could get up to:

• $679 if you're a single individual
• $890 if you're married or have a common-law partner
• $234 for each eligible child under the age of 19
• $445 for the first eligible child in a single-parent family

So, with the Canada Groceries and Essentials Benefit October payment, you could get up to $169.75 if you're a single individual or up to $222.50 if you're married or have a common-law partner.

The additional amount for children is up to $58.50 for each eligible child under 19 years old and up to $111.25 for the first eligible child in a single-parent family.

If you have direct deposit set up with the CRA, your grocery benefit payment will be automatically deposited into your bank account on the payment date.

If you don't have direct deposit set up with the CRA, you'll get a paper cheque in the mail. The federal government said cheques can take longer to be delivered than direct deposit.

You won't receive a Canada Groceries and Essentials Benefit payment in October if you're only eligible for less than $50 per quarter. Instead of quarterly payments, you received your entire amount as a lump sum in July.

Some eligible Canadians could receive a bigger payment than usual this month. That's because the CRA will issue retroactive payments in October for any amounts you're entitled to that you missed in July if you filed your taxes late.

This article's cover image was used for illustrative purposes only.