CGEB January 5, 2027 is the date to circle. The Canada Revenue Agency sends the next Canada Groceries and Essentials Benefit payment that Tuesday — the third quarterly deposit of the July 2026 to June 2027 benefit year, and the first CGEB payment of the new calendar year.
If you received the October 5 payment, expect the same amount in January unless something changed — your income, your marital status, or a child turning 19. The benefit is tax-free, it lands by direct deposit on the day, and a check takes about ten business days to reach you.
How much lands on January 5
For this benefit year, the maximums are $679 a year for a single person, $890 for a married or common-law couple, and $234 for each child under 19. Split four ways, that is $169.75 a quarter for a single person, $222.50 for a couple, and $58.50 per child. A couple with two children can get up to $1,358 a year, or $339.50 every three months. A single parent’s first child counts for $445 instead of $234.
Two quick examples show how the math works. A single person whose 2025 income was $30,000 gets the full $169.75 in January — the extra supplement is fully phased in at that income, and the reduction does not start until income passes $46,432. A single person at $50,000 loses 5 cents for every dollar above that line, which is $178.40 a year, leaving $500.60 a year — $125.15 in the January deposit.
Remember what these numbers are based on. Your January payment comes from your 2025 tax return, not your 2026 one. The CRA recalculates the benefit every July, so the July 2027 payment will switch to your 2026 return.
Why your amount may be smaller than the maximum
The $679 and $890 figures are maximums, not what everyone gets. Once your adjusted family net income passes $46,432, the benefit shrinks by 5 cents per dollar. A single person stops getting anything once income passes about $60,000, and a couple with no children at about $64,232.
There is one wrinkle for single people with no children. The benefit starts at a $445 base, and an extra amount of up to $234 phases in at 2 cents per dollar once your income passes $11,564. So a very low income actually means a smaller payment — a single person who earned $15,000 in 2025 gets about $513.72 a year, or $128.43 in January, not the full $679.
Your amount can also change mid-year. A reassessment of your tax return, a change in marital status, a child turning 19, or a change in shared custody all trigger a recalculation, and the CRA adjusts the next quarterly payment.
The GST credit name change still trips people up
If you are still searching for the GST credit, you are looking for the right benefit under its old name. The credit was renamed the Canada Groceries and Essentials Benefit in July 2026. The eligibility rules and the quarterly schedule stayed exactly the same — the only change is that every amount went up 25%, and the higher amounts stay in place for five years, through the April 2031 payment. We first explained the new benefit when it launched in July: https://northchecknews.com/canada-groceries-essentials-benefit-cgeb-2026-679/
There is no separate application. Filing your tax return is the application — the CRA works out your entitlement from it. Newcomers to Canada who have not filed a return use form RC151. And one warning worth repeating: the CRA never sends benefit payments by e-transfer or text message, so any message offering to “release” your CGEB is a scam.
The proposed one-time top-up — don’t count on it yet
The federal budget tabled on November 5, 2026 proposes a second one-time CGEB supplement in early 2027: up to $339 for a single person with no children, and up to $679 for a couple with two children. It would sit on top of the regular quarterly amounts, not replace them.
But it is a proposal, not a payment. Parliament has not passed it, and the budget gives no exact date — just “early 2027”. Do not budget around it, and do not trust social media posts that present it as confirmed. If it passes, the January 5 payment is unaffected either way; the top-up would come separately.
What to check before January 5
Your exact amount and date are in CRA My Account, under Benefits and credits. Check that your direct deposit details and mailing address are current — a stale address is the most common reason a check goes missing. If you have not filed your 2025 return yet, file it now: the CRA cannot calculate your benefit until it is processed, and a late filing delays the payment.
If January 5 comes and goes without a deposit, wait ten working days before calling the CRA at 1-800-387-1193. Most “missing” payments in the first week turn out to be checks still in the mail.
January also brings other money changes for Canadians — CPP and EI payroll deductions shift on January 1, as we covered here: https://northchecknews.com/cpp-ei-2027/ — and the full January picture is in our January 2027 benefits hub: https://northchecknews.com/canada-january-2027-benefits-cpp-cgeb-payment-dates/
FAQ: CGEB January 5, 2027
When is the next CGEB payment?
Tuesday, January 5, 2027. The one after that is April 5, 2027.
How much will I get on January 5?
One quarter of your annual entitlement. The maximums are $169.75 for a single person, $222.50 for a couple, and $58.50 per child under 19. Your exact amount is in CRA My Account, under Benefits and credits.
Do I need to apply for the CGEB?
No. Filing your tax return is the application. Newcomers who have not filed a return use form RC151.
Is the CGEB taxable?
No. Payments are tax-free and you do not report them on your tax return.
Is there really an extra $339 payment coming in early 2027?
It is proposed in the November 5, 2026 budget, not passed, with no exact date. Do not count on it until Parliament approves it.
What if my January 5 payment does not arrive?
Check CRA My Account first, wait ten working days, then call the CRA at 1-800-387-1193.
Sources
CRA — How much you can get, Canada Groceries and Essentials Benefit (canada.ca): https://www.canada.ca/en/revenue-agency/services/child-family-benefits/canada-groceries-essentials-benefit/how-much.html
CRA guide RC4210, Canada Groceries and Essentials Benefit (2026–2027 payment period) — payment dates
Budget 2026, tabled November 5, 2026, Department of Finance Canada — one-time supplement proposal