Canada Child Benefit payments to arrive October 20

The Canada Revenue Agency will issue the next monthly Canada Child Benefit payment on Tuesday, October 20, 2026.

Eligible parents and caregivers can receive up to $573 or $679 per child, depending on the child's age, through the tax-free federal benefit.

Payments will be delivered via direct deposit or cheque, based on the recipient's preferred payment method with the CRA.

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"If you have direct deposit set up with the CRA, you'll receive the CCB payment as a direct deposit into your bank account," according to the agency's information.

"If you haven't signed up for direct deposit, you'll get the payment as a cheque delivered to your mailbox."

The CCB is a tax-free monthly payment to help eligible families with the cost of raising children who are under 18 years old.

The amount a family receives is based on the number of children, their ages, and the family's adjusted net income.

Payments are issued at maximum amounts if a family's 2025 adjusted net income is less than $38,237.

If your income is more than $38,237 and up to $82,847, the amount is reduced by a percentage of your income greater than $38,237.

That percentage changes depending on the number of eligible children in your care.

If your income is over $82,847, the benefit is reduced by a fixed amount and an additional percentage of your income over $82,847.

The fixed amount and percentage are based on how many eligible children you have.

In shared custody situations, each parent receives 50% of what they would have received if they had full custody of the child.

The payment amount is calculated based on the parent's own adjusted family net income.

To be eligible, a person must live with and care for a child who is under 18 years of age.

Also, you must be a resident of Canada for tax purposes, and you or your spouse/common-law partner must be a Canadian citizen, permanent resident, protected person, temporary resident, or an individual who is registered or entitled to be registered under the Indian Act.

You can't get the CCB for a foster child in your care who already receives the Children's Special Allowance.

Eligible parents and caregivers aren't automatically enrolled in this program.

You should apply for the CCB as soon as you or your spouse/common-law partner meet the eligibility criteria.

You can apply through a birth registration or through your online CRA My Account.

It can also include amounts for the child disability benefit and related provincial and territorial programs.

The benefit comes as some Canadians say other government payments, like the grocery benefit, are too small to ease cost pressures. Yadude Books reported in October that some recipients find quarterly grocery payments a welcome but insufficient help.

With files from Narcity