Every Canadian government benefit payment date in 2026

Government benefit payments don't wait for a convenient moment to land — but you can plan around them if you know exactly when they're coming. Between the Canada Child Benefit, CPP, OAS, and a rebranded grocery credit that replaced the old GST/HST credit mid-year, 2026 has more moving parts than usual. If you've ever refreshed your bank app on the 19th wondering where your CCB went, or wondered why your GST payment disappeared after April, this is the one page to bookmark.

This roundup covers every major federal benefit administered by the Canada Revenue Agency (CRA) and Service Canada, plus two representative provincial top-ups, with the exact 2026 payment dates pulled straight from canada.ca. We'll also flag the year's biggest change: the GST/HST credit was replaced partway through 2026 by the new Canada Groceries and Essentials Benefit, with a one-time bonus payment in between.

TL;DR

Most federal benefits pay monthly (CCB, CPP, OAS, Canada Disability Benefit) on a fixed date, usually mid-to-late month, moved earlier if it lands on a weekend or holiday. Quarterly benefits — the Canada Groceries and Essentials Benefit and the Advanced Canada Workers Benefit — pay four times or three times a year respectively. The GST/HST credit stopped being called that after April 2026: the same program continues as the Canada Groceries and Essentials Benefit (CGEB) starting with the July 3, 2026 payment, and everyone entitled to it got a one-time top-up on June 5, 2026 worth up to $717. The Canada Carbon Rebate is gone — its last payment was in 2025.

1. Canada Child Benefit (CCB) — monthly, around the 20th

If you have kids under 18, the CCB is likely your biggest recurring government payment. It's tax-free and recalculated every July using your prior year's tax return.

2026 payment dates: January 20, February 20, March 20, April 20, May 20, June 19, July 20, August 20, September 18, October 20, November 20, and December 11.

Payments made January through June 2026 are based on your 2024 tax return; July through December 2026 payments switch to your 2025 return. For the 2025-26 benefit year, the maximum is $7,997 per year for a child under 6 and $6,748 for a child aged 6-17, phasing out starting at $37,487 in adjusted family net income. If your total annual entitlement is under $240, CRA pays it as a single lump sum in July instead of monthly instalments. Worth knowing if you're also optimizing RRSP contributions: our RRSP Contribution Optimizer factors CCB clawback recovery into your true return, a mechanic we break down in why an RRSP refund is worth more than your tax bracket suggests.

2. Canada Groceries and Essentials Benefit (CGEB) — formerly the GST/HST credit

This is 2026's biggest benefit-calendar change. The GST/HST credit was renamed the Canada Groceries and Essentials Benefit partway through the year, with a 25% permanent increase to the payout starting in July 2026 and running for five years.

2026 payment dates: January 5 and April 2 were paid under the old GST/HST credit name (based on your 2024 return). A one-time top-up — worth roughly 50% of your annual GST/HST credit for the July 2025-June 2026 period, up to $267 to $717 depending on family size — was issued June 5, 2026. Then July 3 and October 5 are paid as the Canada Groceries and Essentials Benefit, based on your 2025 return.

If your quarterly amount is under $50, CRA pays the full year's entitlement as one lump sum in July rather than in instalments. Nothing to apply for — eligibility and amount are both determined automatically from your tax return, so filing on time (even with zero income) is what keeps this one flowing.

3. Canada Pension Plan (CPP) — monthly, near month-end

CPP retirement, disability, children's, and survivor benefits all pay on the same monthly schedule, administered by Service Canada rather than CRA.

2026 payment dates: January 28, February 25, March 27, April 28, May 27, June 26, July 29, August 27, September 25, October 28, November 26, and December 22.

Direct deposit typically lands within 1-2 business days of the issue date; mailed cheques can take 1-2 weeks longer. If you're weighing when to start CPP against other retirement income sources, this is also a good moment to sanity-check your registered-account strategy — see our rundown of Canada's seven major registered accounts for how CPP timing interacts with RRSP and TFSA drawdown order.

4. Old Age Security (OAS), GIS, and Allowance — same schedule as CPP

OAS, the Guaranteed Income Supplement (GIS), the Allowance, and the Allowance for the Survivor all share CPP's exact payment calendar, even though they're separate programs with separate eligibility rules.

2026 payment dates: Identical to CPP above — January 28 through December 22, same twelve dates. If you receive both CPP and OAS, expect two separate deposits on the same day rather than one combined payment. OAS is subject to a clawback (the OAS recovery tax) once net income crosses a threshold that's indexed annually — worth checking your current-year number directly on canada.ca before assuming last year's figure still applies.

5. Advanced Canada Workers Benefit (ACWB) — three payments a year

The ACWB delivers up to 50% of your estimated Canada Workers Benefit entitlement in advance, with the balance settled when you file your return.

2026 payment dates: January 12, July 10, and October 9. No separate application is required — CRA calculates eligibility automatically from your prior-year tax return, provided you file before November 1 of the benefit period.

6. Canada Disability Benefit (CDB) — monthly

The newest addition to the federal calendar, the CDB pays monthly to eligible low-income working-age people with disabilities.

2026 payment dates: January 15, February 19, March 19, April 16, May 21, June 18, July 16, August 20, September 17, October 15, November 19, and December 17. This program only began issuing payments in July 2025, so 2026 is its first full calendar year.

7. Ontario Trillium Benefit (OTB) — monthly, a provincial example

Provinces layer their own credits on top of the federal calendar, usually paid by CRA alongside federal benefits. Ontario's OTB (combining the Ontario energy and property tax credit, Northern Ontario energy credit, and Ontario sales tax credit) is the highest-volume example.

2026 payment dates: January 9, February 10, March 10, April 10, May 8, June 10, July 10, August 10, September 10, October 9, November 10, and December 10. If your annual OTB entitlement is small enough, CRA may instead issue it as a single payment rather than monthly — check your CRA My Account for your specific schedule.

8. Alberta Child and Family Benefit (ACFB) — quarterly, a second provincial example

Not every province pays monthly. Alberta's ACFB is a useful contrast: it's quarterly, not monthly, and stacks on top of the federal CCB for eligible families.

2026 payment dates: February 27, May 27, August 27, and November 27. Same CRA-administered mechanics as the federal benefits — no separate application if you already receive the CCB and meet Alberta's income thresholds.

9. Veteran disability pension — monthly

Administered separately from CRA and Service Canada's tax-benefit programs, the veteran disability pension follows its own monthly calendar, generally landing a day or two after CPP/OAS.

2026 payment dates: January 30, February 26, March 30, April 29, May 28, June 29, July 30, August 28, September 28, October 29, November 27, and December 23.

10. What happened to the Canada Carbon Rebate

If you're used to a carbon rebate payment and don't see one on this list, that's not an error. The federal consumer carbon charge was permanently removed from legislation, and the Canada Carbon Rebate (formerly the Climate Action Incentive Payment) issued its final payments in 2025 — January 15 and April 22, 2025 were the last two instalments. There's no equivalent payment anywhere in the 2026 calendar.

Quick-reference table: 2026 payment frequency by benefit

FAQ

Why did my GST payment stop after April 2026? It didn't stop — it was renamed. The GST/HST credit became the Canada Groceries and Essentials Benefit starting with the July 3, 2026 payment, after a one-time top-up on June 5. Same program, same eligibility rules, new name and a 25% higher ongoing amount.

Why does my CCB payment date change some months? CRA moves the payment to the closest earlier business day whenever the standard 20th falls on a weekend or statutory holiday — that's why June, September, and December 2026 look different from the rest.

Do I need to apply separately for provincial benefits like the OTB or ACFB? Generally no. If you already file a tax return and qualify for the related federal benefit or program, CRA calculates and pays the provincial or territorial amount automatically alongside it.

What if my direct deposit doesn't show up on the expected date? Wait 5 business days for CRA-administered benefits (10 for the CGEB) or check for a mailed cheque, which can take 1-2 weeks longer than direct deposit. Then contact CRA or Service Canada directly.

Is the Canada Carbon Rebate really gone for good? Yes. The federal consumer carbon charge was permanently removed from legislation, and the rebate's last payments were issued in 2025. There's no 2026 replacement.

Will benefit amounts change again in 2027? Most of these are indexed annually — CCB, CGEB, and CPP/OAS all adjust based on inflation or the prior year's tax return each July or January. Expect a fresh sweep of updated amounts (though the payment-date pattern itself tends to stay consistent) at the start of each benefit year.

Sources

• Benefits payment dates — Canada.ca
• Payment dates — Canada child benefit (CCB)
• Payment dates — Canada Groceries and Essentials Benefit
• One-time GST/HST credit top-up payment
• Canada Disability Benefit
• Ontario trillium benefit (OTB)
• Alberta child and family benefit (ACFB)

Disclaimer

This article is for general informational purposes only and isn't personalized financial, tax, or legal advice. Payment dates and amounts are set by the Government of Canada and provincial/territorial governments and can change; always confirm your specific entitlement and next payment date through your CRA My Account or Service Canada My Account before making financial decisions based on an expected payment.