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The Gas Tax Holiday Ends in 24 Days — Here's the Real Math on What You'll Save

  Published August 14, 2026 Ottawa's fuel excise tax suspension shuts off September 7. Here's what it's actually been worth at the pump, what changes the next morning, and who should plan a fill-up before Labour Day. The Countdown The federal fuel excise tax returns to full rate on September 8, 2026 — that's 24 days from today. Prices reset to their pre-April 20 rate the moment the clock hits midnight. If you've noticed gas feeling a little less painful since spring, that wasn't your imagination. On April 20, 2026, Ottawa suspended the federal fuel excise tax — 10 cents a litre off gasoline, 4 cents off diesel — as Middle East oil-supply disruptions pushed pump prices toward $2 a litre in some cities. The suspension, passed as part of Bill C-30, has been running for nearly four months. It ends September 7, inclusive. On September 8, the tax comes right back. What the holiday actually saved you The headline number — 10 cents a litre on gas — undersells it sligh...
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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 passage of its enabling legislation earlier this year. It builds directly on the structure of the old GST/HST credit rather than replacing the mechanics — same eligibility rules, same income-tested formula, same quarterly schedule (July, October, January, and April). What changed is the name and the amount.

There were two separate boosts, on two separate dates:

  • June 5, 2026 — a one-time top-up. Eligible Canadians received a lump-sum payment equal to 50% of what they'd received from the GST/HST credit over the 2025–26 benefit year. This alone delivered $3.1 billion in support nationally.
  • July 3, 2026 — the permanent 25% increase. This is the first payment issued under the CGEB name, and it's 25% higher than the old GST/HST credit amount would have been. That increase is locked in for five years, through 2031, and represents $8.6 billion in additional support, extending the benefit to roughly 500,000 individuals and families who weren't reached before.

How much more this is actually worth

The federal government published two illustrative examples alongside the July 3 announcement:

Single senior, $25,000 net income: received a $267 one-time top-up in June, plus a $136 increase for the 2026–27 benefit year — a total increase of $402. Combined with the base credit, they'll receive $950 in total for 2026–27.

Couple with two children, $40,000 net income: received a $533 one-time top-up, plus a $272 increase for 2026–27 — a total increase of $805. Combined with the base credit, they'll receive $1,890 in total for 2026–27.

Because the June top-up was a one-time payment, don't expect those totals to repeat next year. Going forward, Ottawa estimates the ongoing enriched benefit works out to roughly $700 a year for a single person and about $1,400 a year for a family of four — still meaningfully above what the old GST/HST credit would have paid, but without the one-time cushion.

WHAT IT MEANS FOR YOU

If you got a GST/HST credit deposit in the past, you're almost certainly getting this too — just check your bank statement for a deposit labelled CGEB instead of "GST/HST Credit." There's no new application. The one thing that can knock you out of eligibility: not filing your 2025 tax return. CRA calculates your 2026–27 payments off that return, so a late or missing filing can delay or shrink your deposit even if nothing else about your situation changed.

Do you need to do anything?

For most recipients, no. Eligibility is unchanged from the GST/HST credit: you generally qualify if you're a Canadian resident for tax purposes, at least 19 years old (or have a spouse/common-law partner, or are a parent living with your child), and you file a tax return. CRA and Service Canada handle the rest automatically based on your adjusted family net income.

The CGEB also stacks on top of — rather than replaces — other income-tested support like the Canada Child Benefit, the Canada Disability Benefit, and the Guaranteed Income Supplement. None of those are affected by this change.

The bigger picture

The rename is easy to shrug off as bureaucratic branding, but the dollar figures behind it are real: $11.7 billion in additional federal support over six years, funnelled through a program that already reaches more than 12 million Canadians. It's part of a wider pattern this year of federal benefits being re-indexed and, in this case, structurally boosted rather than just adjusted for inflation — worth keeping an eye on if you rely on any income-tested support, since the CGEB likely won't be the last program to see a similar overhaul before 2031.

This article is for general information and reflects federal program details as of July 2026. For your specific entitlement, check your CRA My Account or consult a tax professional.

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