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The GST/HST Credit Has a New Name — And It's Paying 25% More

  Sunday, July 19, 2026 If you've relied on the quarterly GST/HST credit, that name is gone for good. Here's what replaced it, how much more it's worth, and whether you need to do anything to get it. For years, the GST/HST credit quietly landed in millions of Canadian bank accounts every three months — a modest, tax-free top-up meant to offset sales tax on everyday purchases. As of this month, that program no longer exists under its old name. It's now the Canada Groceries and Essentials Benefit (CGEB) , and the federal government has permanently increased the payment by 25%, locked in for five years. If you already qualified for the GST/HST credit, you don't need to apply for anything new. But you should know what changed, because the numbers — and the timeline — are more involved than a simple rename. What actually changed The CGEB was first announced by the federal government in January 2026 as part of a broader affordability push, and it became law with the passa...
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Toronto–Ottawa Housing Talks End Without Breakthrough

 

                                            Toronto Mayor Olivia Chow

 

In a meeting that many hoped would ease tensions over Toronto’s housing policy, Mayor Olivia Chow and federal Housing Minister Gregor Robertson failed to reach an agreement on Thursday.

At the heart of the dispute is Ottawa’s demand that Toronto permit sixplexes citywide — a condition tied to millions in federal housing funding. Toronto’s current policy allows them in only nine of the city’s 25 wards, a compromise that Robertson has previously called “disappointing”.

While the minister left city hall without speaking to reporters, Chow emphasized that their discussion focused on larger-scale housing projects. She presented a list of approved developments totaling 30,000 units that could begin immediately if the federal government helped cover costly development charges.

Chow argued that expanding sixplex permissions across the city would yield only about 500 additional homes, far fewer than the tens of thousands she says are ready to break ground with the right financial support.

The standoff comes as Toronto faces a worsening housing crisis, with both levels of government under pressure to deliver faster, more ambitious solutions.

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