Overview
- Eligible recipients are slated to receive a one-time top-up equal to 50% of the annual GST credit this spring, no later than June 2026, subject to Royal Assent.
- Quarterly payments are set to rise by 25% for five years beginning in July 2026, indexed to inflation and delivered under existing GST credit rules to roughly 12–12.6 million people.
- Illustrative amounts include up to $950 for a single person in 2026–27 and up to $1,890 for a family of four, with recipients advised to file 2024 and 2025 tax returns to ensure eligibility.
- The government pegs the cost at $11.7 billion over six years, including $3.1 billion for the spring top-up and $8.6 billion for enhanced payments through 2030–31.
- Complementary steps include a National Food Security Strategy, $500 million from the Strategic Response Fund for supply chains, $20 million for food banks, unit‑price labelling, and expanded Competition Bureau scrutiny, as opposition parties call the cash relief limited yet indicate support to pass it.