Thursday, July 9, 2026 Every July, a wave of federal benefit payments resets for the new benefit year — and 2026 brings one of the biggest shifts in years. Between a permanent 25% boost to the old GST/HST credit, a fresh Canada Child Benefit increase, and the largest quarterly OAS bump of the year, millions of Canadian households will see different numbers land in their accounts this month. Here's what actually changed, and what to check in your own CRA account. The GST/HST Credit Has a New Name — and a Bigger Payout The GST/HST credit has officially been replaced by the Canada Groceries and Essentials Benefit (CGEB) . It's not a new program from scratch — it runs on the same CRA infrastructure and eligibility rules — but the payment amounts are 25% higher, and that increase is locked in for five years. The first CGEB payment went out on July 3, 2026. Under the new structure: A single individual with no children can receive up to roughly $679 per year (about $170 per quart...
Ontario Cancels $100M Starlink Deal Amid Escalating Trade Tensions
Ontario Premier Doug Ford has announced the cancellation of a $100-million contract with Elon Musk’s Starlink satellite internet service, a move aimed squarely at countering U.S. tariffs on Canadian goods. The contract—signed last November as part of Ontario’s initiative to deliver high-speed internet to 15,000 remote and rural premises—will now be scrapped amid a broader decision to ban American companies from provincial contracts until the tariffs are removed.
Ford emphatically stated on social media that Ontario “won’t do business with people hellbent on destroying our economy,” attributing the policy shift to President Trump’s tariff actions. He warned that U.S.-based businesses could lose “tens of billions of dollars” in new revenue as a result. This decisive step is just one element of Ontario’s wider strategy to respond to the escalating trade dispute, which has already seen retaliatory tariffs imposed by both Canada and the United States.
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