One-time federal affordability payment to be issued June 5, Ottawa says

The federal government says a one-time affordability payment tied to the GST/HST credit will be issued June 5 to eligible low- and modest-income households.

According to a federal announcement made in January, Prime Minister Mark Carney said the payment will equal 50 per cent of the annual value of the existing GST/HST credit. The program is being renamed the Canada Groceries and Essentials Benefit.

Eligibility is tied to the current GST/HST credit system. Ottawa says households that have filed their 2024 income tax return and already receive the quarterly credit will automatically receive the one-time payment, with no application required.

The federal government estimates a family of four with a net income of $40,000 would receive $533, while a single individual earning $25,000 annually would receive about half that amount.

In addition to the one-time payment, Ottawa says regular quarterly GST/HST credit payments will increase by 25 per cent for five years starting in July. Combined with the increase, the government says a family of four could receive up to $1,890 this year, while a single person could receive up to $950.

The benefit applies nationwide, including to eligible residents in provinces such as Alberta and British Columbia, where cost-of-living pressures remain a key issue in household budgets.