This year, many people have seen their food bills increase significantly. Canada’s Food Price Report 2023 predicted that shopping prices would increase by up to 7%. It means that a family of four in Canada will spend more than $16,000 a year on food, more than $1,000 more than they spent in 2022.
Due to inflation that had never happened before, the Canadian government created a Grocery Rebate to help people who qualified.
Who can do it?
It’s easy to figure out who can get the refund. The Grocery Rebate is based on your tax return for 2021, so you must file a tax return for 2021, even if you didn’t make any money that year.
The Grocery Rebate will be given to anyone eligible for the GST/HST credit in January 2023, based on your 2021 tax return. It means you could still get the Grocery Rebate even if you didn’t apply for the GST/HST credit in July 2023. That’s because your 2022 tax return is used to figure out the GST/HST credit for July 2023.
How much money can people get back from the Grocery Rebate?
The amount of the Grocery Rebate will equal twice the amount of the GST/HST credit you got in January 2023.
The payment amount depends on your family’s situation in January 2023 and your family’s adjusted net income in 2021. Those who are single can get up to:
- $234 (without kids)
- $387 (for one kid)
- $467 (with two kids)
- $548 (with three kids)
- $628 (with four kids)
Those who are married or living with a common-law partner can get up to:
- $306 (without kids)
- $387 (for one kid)
- $467 (with two kids)
- $548 (with three kids)
- $628 (with four kids)
It’s important to remember that your bills will go down if your net income in 2021 is more than $39,826.
The rebate for groceries will be given out on July 5, 2023.
If you think you should get the Grocery Rebate but don’t get it, the Canada Revenue Agency says to wait ten work days and then contact them.
