Canadian Government Benefits 2026: Credits, Payments, and Programs

By Wealthvieu · Updated

Canadian government benefits can provide thousands per year — but you must file taxes and apply. Here’s what’s available.

Benefits Overview

Benefit Who Qualifies Max Annual
Canada Child Benefit Parents $7,787/child
GST/HST Credit Low-medium income $519/person
Canada Workers Benefit Low-income workers $1,518
OAS Seniors 65+ $9,120
GIS Low-income seniors $13,032
Climate Action Incentive Most residents Varies

Canada Child Benefit (CCB)

Maximum CCB Amounts (2026)

Child Age Maximum Monthly Maximum Annual
Under 6 $649 $7,787
6-17 $548 $6,570

CCB by Family Income

Two children (ages 4 and 8):

Family Income Monthly CCB Annual CCB
$35,000 $1,197 $14,357
$50,000 $1,050 $12,600
$75,000 $825 $9,900
$100,000 $600 $7,200
$150,000 $275 $3,300
$200,000 $0 $0

CCB Requirements

Requirement Details
Live with child Primary caregiver
Child under 18 Until month after 18th birthday
Canadian resident For tax purposes
File taxes Required annually
Credit Amount Details
Child Disability Benefit $3,322/year Added to CCB
Provincial child benefits Varies On top of CCB

GST/HST Credit

Maximum GST/HST Credit (2026)

Status Annual Amount
Single $519
Married/Common-law $680
Per child under 19 $179

GST/HST Credit by Income

Single person:

Net Income Annual Credit
$20,000 $519
$30,000 $519
$40,000 $269
$50,000 $0

Payment Schedule

Payment Month Period Covered
July Based on prior year return
October Quarterly
January Quarterly
April Quarterly

Apply: Automatic when you file taxes.

Canada Workers Benefit (CWB)

Maximum CWB (2026)

Status Basic Amount Disability Supplement
Single $1,518 $784
Family $2,616 $784

CWB Income Thresholds

Status Full Benefit Below Phases Out Above
Single $23,495 $35,095
Family $26,805 $45,932

CWB Requirements

Requirement Details
Working income More than $3,000
Age 19+ (or with spouse/child)
Student Not full-time for >13 weeks
Income threshold Below limit

Advance payments: You can get up to 50% in advance.

Climate Action Incentive

CAI Amounts by Province (2026)

Province Single Family of 4
Ontario $244 $488
Manitoba $264 $528
Saskatchewan $376 $752
Alberta $386 $772

CAI Requirements

Requirement Details
Resident Of eligible province
Age 19+ (or with spouse/child)
File taxes Required

Apply: Automatic with tax return.

Employment Insurance (EI)

EI Benefits

Type Duration Percentage of Income
Regular 14-45 weeks 55% (max $668/week)
Maternity 15 weeks 55%
Parental (standard) 35 weeks 55%
Parental (extended) 61 weeks 33%
Sickness 26 weeks 55%
Caregiving 15-26 weeks 55%

EI Requirements

Requirement Details
Hours worked 420-700 (varies by region)
Reason for job loss Layoff, not quit
Ready to work Available for other jobs
Apply Within 4 weeks of separation

EI Maximum

Item Amount
Maximum insurable earnings $67,600
Maximum weekly benefit $668
Maximum annual benefit ~$24,800

Old Age Security (OAS)

OAS Amounts (2026)

Age Monthly Annual
65-74 $760 $9,120
75+ $836 $10,032

OAS Eligibility

Years in Canada Benefit
40+ years Full OAS
10-39 years 1/40 per year
Under 10 years Not eligible

OAS Clawback

Net Income Impact
Under $90,000 Full OAS
$90,000-$148,000 Partial clawback
Over $148,000 No OAS

Guaranteed Income Supplement (GIS)

Maximum GIS (2026)

Situation Monthly Annual
Single $1,086 $13,032
Couple (each) $654 $7,848

GIS Requirements

Requirement Details
Receiving OAS Yes
Single income threshold Under ~$21,000
Couple income threshold Under ~$28,000

Provincial Benefits (Examples)

Ontario

Benefit Details
Ontario Trillium Benefit Energy + property tax + sales tax credits
OEPTC Up to $1,194
OTB Varies by income

British Columbia

Benefit Details
BC Climate Action Tax Credit Up to $447
BC Family Benefit Up to $2,125/child

Quebec

Benefit Details
Solidarity Tax Credit Up to $1,200
Family Allowance Varies

Alberta

Benefit Details
Alberta Child and Family Benefit Up to $5,120/family

How to Apply

Automatic Benefits (File Taxes)

Benefit How to Get It
GST/HST Credit File tax return
Climate Action Incentive File tax return
Canada Workers Benefit File tax return
OAS/GIS Most auto-enrolled

Application Required

Benefit How to Apply
Canada Child Benefit CRA My Account or form RC66
Employment Insurance Service Canada online
Provincial programs Check provincial website

Key Dates

Date Event
April 30 Tax filing deadline
July New CCB benefit year starts
Quarterly GST/HST credit payments

Bottom Line

Action Benefit
File taxes annually Access most benefits
Apply for CCB Up to $7,787/child
Check CRA My Account See your eligible benefits
Apply within deadlines Don’t lose entitlements

Key tips:

  1. File taxes every year — even with no income
  2. Benefits are income-tested — lower income = more benefits
  3. Check both federal and provincial programs
  4. Set up direct deposit for faster payments
  5. Update CRA when circumstances change
  6. Many benefits are automatic with tax return
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