Canadian households struggling with high grocery costs are getting help through a one-time grocery rebate of up to CAD $628 from the Canada Revenue Agency. This payment targets low and modest-income individuals and families across Canada to help with rising food prices and inflation. If you filed your tax return and meet the requirements then knowing when you’ll receive this rebate and how much you’ll get is important. Here’s how this payment works and who qualifies for it in Canada.
Grocery Rebate Explained: Purpose, Benefits, and How the CRA Credit Is Delivered
The Grocery Rebate was a one-time tax-free payment from the federal government designed to help eligible Canadians deal with higher food and grocery prices. The CRA sent out this payment on December 15 2023. The amount people received was twice what they got for their January 2023 GST/HST credit. This was a single payment and not an ongoing program. There is no confirmed rebate coming in 2025 even though some rumors suggest otherwise. If you qualified and received the payment in 2023 you didn’t have to submit any application. The CRA automatically sent the money to individuals and families who met the requirements.
Who Qualifies for the December 2025 Grocery Rebate? Complete CRA Eligibility Guide
To qualify for the rebate you need to meet a few requirements. You must be a Canadian resident when the payment goes out. You also need to have filed your tax return for the base year that CRA uses. Also you must have qualified for the GST/HST credit during that base year. As an example the 2023 rebate looked at your 2021 tax return. The eligibility list includes being at least 19 years old in the month of payment unless you have a spouse or child. You also cannot be in jail for 90 days or more in a row. Keep in mind that no new rebate has been confirmed for 2025 so any eligibility requirements for that year are just speculation. It makes sense to keep your tax filings current and ensure your direct deposit information and CRA My Account details are up to date as a standard practice.
Canada Lines Up 6 CRA Payments Before Christmas 2025 - Revised Deposit Dates and Updated Timelines
Rebate Amounts & December 2025 Payment Timeline: Key Dates for Singles and Couples
The amount you receive from this rebate varies based on whether you are single or married and how many children you have. It also depends on whether you qualified for the GST/HST credit before. The CRA provided official numbers for 2023 showing that single people without children could get up to CAD $234 while those with four or more children could receive up to CAD $628. Married or common-law couples with four children could also receive the same maximum of CAD $628. The government sent out this rebate together with the regular GST/HST credit payment on December 15 2023. Since no official payment date has been announced for 2025 yet, you should be careful about claims suggesting a December 2025 rebate of up to CAD $1000 because this information has not been confirmed.
Grocery Rebate at a Glance: Eligibility, Amounts, and Deposit Schedule Compared
| Household Category | Maximum Grocery Rebate (CAD) | Additional Details |
|---|---|---|
| Single Individual (No Dependents) | $234 | Applicable to one adult with no children |
| Single Parent with One Child | $387 | Calculated on the basis of 2023 income records |
| Couple / Common-Law with Two Children | $467 | Standard benefit for average-sized families |
| Couple / Common-Law with Four or More Children | $628 | Highest rebate amount under the large-family category |
| Married / Common-Law Couple (No Children) | $306 | Applies to two adults without dependents |
