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Canada Groceries & Essentials Benefit: Free Money Hits Your Account June 5 — Are You Getting Yours?

If you're a low- or modest-income Canadian, there's a very good chance the government is about to deposit money directly into your bank account — on June 5, 2026 — with zero application required. It's called the Canada Groceries and Essentials Benefit (CGEB) , and it's replacing the old GST/HST credit with a bigger, better payout. The first step? A one-time bonus payment arriving in less than two weeks. Here's everything you need to know to make sure you don't miss it. What Exactly Is This Payment? The federal government is transitioning away from the GST/HST Credit and launching the new Canada Groceries and Essentials Benefit (CGEB) starting July 2026. As a bridge to that new program, every current GST/HST credit recipient will receive a one-time lump-sum top-up on June 5, 2026 — equal to 50% of their annual 2025–26 GST/HST credit . Think of it as a bonus cheque (or direct deposit) to help you cover rising grocery and essentials costs right now, before the n...

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Canadian Inflation Climbs to 1.9% in January as Core Measures Edge Higher

 

Canada’s annual inflation rate in January rose modestly to 1.9%, up slightly from December’s 1.8% . The increase was largely driven by a surge in energy prices—especially gasoline and natural gas—which counterbalanced the downward pressure on prices provided by the recent GST/HST tax break on select goods ; additional details were outlined by Statistics Canada.

Core inflation measures, which exclude the more volatile food and energy components, also recorded an uptick. Both the CPI-median and CPI-trim indexes climbed to 2.7%, indicating persistent underlying price pressures despite headline inflation staying near the Bank of Canada’s target range of 1–3%.

Analysts suggest that while the tax holiday helped ease food price inflation—leading to declines in some categories—the rebound in energy costs has nudged overall inflation upward. With the temporary tax break now ended, economists will be closely monitoring upcoming data to determine if this modest rise is a temporary anomaly or a sign of more entrenched inflationary pressures.

By keeping a keen eye on core inflation metrics, policymakers and market watchers alike are preparing for future monetary decisions aimed at keeping inflation in check as new data emerges.


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