Your mother’s pension didn’t land this morning and she’s already phoned you twice. Before anyone panics: here’s every 2026 payment date for the benefits Canadian seniors actually receive, straight from Service Canada’s calendar — plus the honest answer about 2027 dates, which do not exist yet no matter what other websites are telling you.
Bookmark this one. We check it against the official calendar every quarter.
CPP and OAS/GIS: the same day, every month
This trips up a lot of families: Canada Pension Plan and Old Age Security are deposited on the same date. If your parent gets CPP, OAS, and the Guaranteed Income Supplement, that’s one deposit day — not three.
- January 28 · February 25 · March 27 · April 28
- May 27 · June 26 · July 29 · August 27
- September 25 · October 28 · November 26 · December 22
Notice December. Every other month lands on the third-to-last business day, but the December payment is pulled forward so it clears before the holidays. That’s the one your parent should plan around — it arrives about a week earlier than the pattern suggests.
The GST credit changed its name in 2026
If your parent noticed a payment from something called the “Canada Groceries and Essentials Benefit” and wondered what it was: that’s the GST/HST credit, renamed. Same quarterly rhythm, new name, starting with the July 2026 payment.
- Under the old GST/HST credit name: January 5 and April 2, 2026
- As the Canada Groceries and Essentials Benefit: July 3 and October 5, 2026
Nothing needs to be done to keep receiving it — as long as the tax return gets filed. That’s the thread running through every program on this page.
Ontario Trillium Benefit
Ontario seniors who claim the energy and property tax credit get the Trillium Benefit monthly, on a completely different schedule from the federal deposits:
- January 9 · February 10 · March 10 · April 10
- May 8 · June 10 · July 10 · August 10
- September 10 · October 9 · November 10 · December 10
Renters qualify too, which surprises people. Our Ontario seniors benefits guide covers who’s eligible and how to claim it.
Veterans and the Canada Disability Benefit
Veteran disability pension — a few days after the CPP/OAS deposit each month: January 30, February 26, March 30, April 29, May 28, June 29, July 30, August 28, September 28, October 29, November 27, December 23.
Canada Disability Benefit — mid-month, for those aged 18 to 64 approved for the Disability Tax Credit: January 15, February 19, March 19, April 16, May 21, June 18, July 16, August 20, September 17, October 15, November 19, December 17.
What about 2027 dates?
Here’s where we’ll be straight with you: Service Canada has not published the 2027 payment calendar. As of today, the official calendar shows 2025 and 2026 only.
Several websites are already publishing confident-looking “2027 payment date” tables. Those are calculated guesses, not official dates — and they’ll be wrong wherever a statutory holiday or the December adjustment shifts a date. If your parent is budgeting around a specific day, don’t rely on them.
What you can rely on is the rule Service Canada actually follows: payments go out on the third-to-last business day of the month, with December moved earlier for the holidays. That gets you close enough to plan, and we’ll publish the real 2027 dates here the day they’re released.
The payment hasn’t arrived. Now what?
- Wait 5 to 10 business days before calling. That’s Service Canada’s own guidance — payments are issued on the date listed but can take a few days to land, and mailed cheques take longer than direct deposit.
- Check the bank account, not the mailbox. Most delays turn out to be a direct deposit going to a closed or changed account.
- Then call: Service Canada at 1-800-277-9914 for CPP, OAS and GIS. Have the Social Insurance Number ready.
- If a tax return was missed, GIS and most provincial top-ups stop — they’re recalculated from the return every July. That’s the single most common reason a payment “disappears” in the summer.
Provincial top-ups run on their own clocks
Provincial seniors’ benefits — Ontario’s GAINS, the Alberta Seniors Benefit, BC’s Senior’s Supplement, Quebec’s programs through Retraite Québec — are separate payments on separate schedules, most arriving around the same week as the federal deposit. Amounts and eligibility for each are in our provincial guides: Ontario · British Columbia · Alberta · Quebec.
Frequently asked questions
Are CPP and OAS paid on the same day?
Yes. Both are deposited on the same date each month, so a senior receiving CPP, OAS and GIS sees one combined deposit rather than separate payments.
What day of the month do seniors get paid in Canada?
The third-to-last business day, in most months. December is the exception — the payment is moved earlier so it arrives before the holidays (December 22 in 2026).
Why was my mother’s GIS payment lower this month?
GIS is recalculated every July based on the previous year’s income from her tax return. A change in income, or a late return, changes the amount. If the return wasn’t filed, payments can stop entirely until it is.
When will the 2027 payment dates be announced?
Service Canada typically publishes the following year’s calendar in the fall. It isn’t out yet — anything you see labelled “official 2027 dates” today is someone’s calculation. We’ll update this page as soon as the real schedule is posted.
What happened to the GST/HST credit?
It’s now called the Canada Groceries and Essentials Benefit, effective with the July 2026 payment. Same quarterly payment, new name, no action needed as long as taxes are filed.
