DOSSIER D / BENEFITS AND COSTS
3 FILES
Household money
Everyday costs and the federal measures that touch them: the grocery and essentials benefit and the cost of moving for work.
When moving expenses can be deducted
A move for a new job or for full-time studies can turn the cost of moving into a deduction, if the new home is at least 40 kilometres closer to the new work or school. The deduction can only be used against income earned at the new location.
The grocery and essentials benefit that replaced the GST/HST credit
Since July 2026 the quarterly GST/HST credit has a new name and is 25% larger for five years. Nobody applies for it separately: the amount comes from the previous year’s tax return, which is why filing matters even with little income.
Who qualifies for the Canada Workers Benefit
It is a refundable tax credit for people who work but earn modest incomes, worth up to $1,665 for a single person in 2026. It is claimed on the return, and half of it can arrive in advance.
THE FRIDAY FILE / WEEKLY / FREEThe Friday File. One tax rule or household number, explained on a single page.
Every Friday: one rate, one credit, one date or one limit worth checking, from income tax and the return to savings accounts and federal benefits. Free, and you can unsubscribe from any issue.