June spending holds steady as Canadians balance essentials and experiences - RBC

The Shopping Trends team is independent of the journalists at CTV News. We may earn a commission when you use our links to shop. Read about us. Published: October 06, 2026 at 9:51a.m. EDTDisclaimer: The prices displayed are accurate at the time of publication. We’ll do our best to keep them as up-to-date as possible, but you may see slight changes.(Amazon)

The second Canada Groceries and Essentials Benefit (CGEB) payment for the fiscal year, and the last of 2026, will arrive in bank accounts and mailboxes of qualifying Canadians as of Monday. The benefit replaced the former GST credit in July of this year, and featured a bigger payment from the federal government designed to help millions of low and modest-income households keep up with the heightened cost of living, including to buy food and other essentials. Payments are issued by the Canada Revenue Agency (CRA) every quarter, or every three months in a year, and are tax-free. The final payment for this year is scheduled for Oct. 5. Here’s how to know if you qualify and how much you could receive.