Government benefits offer valuable financial support for costs such as groceries, housing, and childcare when settling into life in Canada. October 2026 is an important month for benefit payments, with several monthly and quarterly payments scheduled, including the new Canada Groceries and Essentials Benefit.

Several major Canada Revenue Agency benefit payments are scheduled for October 2026. The Canada Groceries and Essentials Benefit arrives October 5, along with several provincial credits for eligible recipients. The Canada Child Benefit payment is scheduled for October 20, with most provincial and territorial child benefits included. Ontario Trillium Benefit and Advanced Canada Workers Benefit payments both arrive October 9. Canada Pension Plan, Old Age Security, and Guaranteed Income Supplement payments are scheduled for October 28.

The Canada Groceries and Essentials Benefit arrives October 5, 2026. This benefit replaced the GST/HST credit in July 2026. This October payment is the second for the benefit, with entitlement for July 2026 to June 2027 calculated using 2025 adjusted family net income. Maximum annual amounts are $679 for single individuals, $890 for married or common law partners, and an additional $234 per eligible child under 19. Provincial credits paid with this benefit include the New Brunswick harmonized sales tax credit, Prince Edward Island sales tax credit, and Saskatchewan low income tax credit.

The Canada Child Benefit payment arrives October 20, 2026. Maximum annual amounts for July 2026 to June 2027 are $8,157 per year or $679.75 per month for each child under six, and $6,883 per year or $573.58 per month for each child aged six to 17. Provincial child benefits included with the October Canada Child Benefit vary by province and territory.

The Ontario Trillium Benefit arrives October 9, 2026. It combines the Ontario Sales Tax Credit, Ontario Energy and Property Tax Credit, and Northern Ontario Energy Credit. The Advanced Canada Workers Benefit also arrives October 9, 2026, allowing eligible recipients to receive up to 50 percent of their Canada Workers Benefit in three installments. The Quebec Family Allowance arrives October 1, 2026, and ranges from $1,221 to $3,068 per child per year for 2026.

Canada Pension Plan payments are scheduled for October 28, 2026, with a maximum monthly retirement pension of $1,507.65 for someone beginning at age 65 in 2026. Old Age Security and Guaranteed Income Supplement payments are also scheduled for October 28, 2026. Rates for these benefits increase by 1.4 percent for October to December 2026. The maximum monthly Old Age Security payment will be approximately $762.50 for people aged 65 to 74 and $838.75 for people aged 75 and older. The maximum Guaranteed Income Supplement payment for a single, widowed, or divorced senior will be approximately $1,138.89 per month.

Most income tested Canada Revenue Agency benefit payments rely on information from the 2025 tax return. Filing a Canadian tax return is important for newcomers, even if they earned very little or had no income. This provides the Canada Revenue Agency with the information needed to calculate many federal and provincial benefits. Keeping personal information such as address, marital status, banking information, and details about children up to date is also important, as changes can affect the amount received and outdated information could lead to delayed or incorrect payments.

For newcomers who have not yet filed their first Canadian tax return, they must apply separately for the Canada Groceries and Essentials Benefit. Once recipients begin filing taxes in Canada for the Canada Child Benefit, they and their spouse or partner must continue filing every year to keep receiving the benefit.

October 2026 is a significant month for Canadian benefit payments. These include the new Canada Groceries and Essentials Benefit and other federal and provincial programs, providing financial support to eligible residents.