April delivers another set of government benefit payments for eligible Quebecers. This month includes eight scheduled payments and one of them is the quarterly GST/HST credit deposit. You might qualify for payments this month from the Canada Revenue Agency (CRA) along with Revenu Québec and Retraite Québec. This applies whether you are retired or raising children or facing increased housing or health care expenses. The government calculates most of these benefits using your latest tax return. You should file your 2026 taxes soon if you have not done so already. Your payments could be delayed or stopped entirely if you miss filing or submit your return late. Switching from mailed cheques to direct deposit will speed up how quickly you receive your money.
Old Age Security
Old Age Security is a monthly pension from the federal government for Canadians who are 65 years old or older and meet the residency rules. To qualify you need to be the right age and have lived in Canada for enough years. You do not need any work history and you do not need to make contributions. The maximum monthly payment amounts for April 2026 are as follows:
- If you are between 65 and 74 years old you can receive up to $742.31 per month as long as your net income from 2024 was less than $148,451.
- If you are 75 years old or older you can receive up to $816.54 per month as long as your net income from 2024 was less than $154196.
Seniors who are 75 or older get an extra 10% added to their regular OAS payment and this increase is permanent.
Quebec Pension Plan
The Quebec Pension Plan provides retirement income to workers who made contributions during their employment in Quebec. You have the option to begin receiving payments at age 60 with a reduced amount or delay until age 72 to receive the highest possible monthly payment. The maximum monthly payments vary depending on your starting age. If you begin at 60 you receive 64% of the maximum which equals $964.90. Starting at the standard age of 65 gives you 100% of the maximum at $1,507.65. Waiting until 72 increases your payment to 158.8% of the maximum for a total of $2394.15. The amount you actually receive is calculated based on how much you earned throughout your career and the total contributions you made to the plan.
Canada Child Benefit
The Canada Child Benefit provides tax-free monthly payments to families raising children under 18 years old. Your payment amount is calculated based on your household income and the number and ages of your children.
During the current benefit year running from July 2026 to June 2027, families earning less than $37487 in adjusted net income qualify for maximum payments.
- For each child under 6 years old, the maximum annual benefit is $7997 or $666.41 monthly.
- For children between 6 and 17 years old, families can receive up to $6,748 yearly or $562.33 each month.
Families caring for a child approved for the Disability Tax Credit can receive additional support through the Child Disability Benefit. This extra payment arrives together with the regular CCB deposit each month.
GST/HST Credit
The GST/HST credit is a quarterly tax-free payment from the CRA that helps offset sales tax costs for low and moderate-income households. It arrives four times a year and April is one of those payment months. The April payment is scheduled for April 2 2026.
This is earlier than the typical 5th of the month date because April 5 falls on a weekend. Payments are calculated using your adjusted family net income from your 2024 and 2026 tax returns. If your payment does not arrive the CRA recommends waiting 10 working days before contacting them.
Canada Disability Benefit
The Canada Disability Benefit gives monthly payments to adults aged 18 to 64 who have an approved Disability Tax Credit. You must file a 2024 tax return and be a legal Canadian resident to qualify. The maximum benefit is $2,400 yearly or $200 each month and adjusts with inflation. Single people earning less than $33,000 get the full amount. Couples earning under $46500 also receive the complete benefit. When calculating your benefit the government does not count part of your work income. They exclude $10,000 for single people & $14,000 for couples. Your benefit amount goes down slowly if you earn more than these limits.
Child Care Expense Tax Credit
This provincial tax credit is refundable and helps families get back money they paid for child care throughout the year. The credit percentage ranges from 67% to 78% depending on household income. Families earning less money receive the higher percentage.
The maximum amounts you can claim for the 2026 tax year are:
- $12,275 for children younger than 7
- $6,180 for children between 7 and 16 years old or children with an impairment
- $16800 for children who have a severe and prolonged mental or physical impairment
There is an important change coming in 2026. The age limit will decrease from 16 to 14 for most children. Children with disabilities will still qualify no matter their age. You can choose to receive monthly payments in advance instead of waiting until you file your taxes.
Canadian Dental Care Plan
The Canadian Dental Care Plan provides coverage for eligible households that earn less than $90000 per year for various dental expenses. The plan does not have a fixed payment date because reimbursements are handled continuously as claims are submitted. The amount you receive back is based on your eligible expenses along with the plan’s fee schedule and your adjusted family net income. If you recently became eligible you should have gotten a letter that includes a personalized application code.
