9 government benefits and credits Quebecers could get money from this October

Many Quebecers have a handful of government deposits landing next month, and it's worth checking whether you qualify.

Between Retraite Québec, Revenu Québec, and the Canada Revenue Agency (CRA), several benefits and tax credits go out every month, and October 2026 brings its usual mix, plus a few programs worth knowing about if you haven't checked in a while.

If you want these deposits to land without any hassle, direct deposit is the way to go, since the money just shows up automatically with no extra paperwork.

Solidarity Tax Credit

Administered by Revenu Québec, this refundable credit targets individuals and households with modest incomes. How often it's paid out depends on your total annual amount for the July 2026 to June 2027 period.

If your total comes to $240 or less, you already got it as a single payment back in July. Between $241 and $799, it's split into four quarterly payments, with the next one landing in October. And $800 or more gets paid out monthly, all the way through June 2027.

For someone living alone, the maximum eligible family income is capped at $64,545, based on your situation as of December 31, 2025. The threshold is higher for couples and families.

Next deposit: October 5, 2026

More details are available on Revenu Québec's website.

Work Premium Tax Credits

This one's designed to make it worthwhile to stay in, or return to, the workforce even on a limited income. To qualify, you need to have earned more than $2,400 in 2025 if you're single or heading a single-parent household, or more than $3,600 as a couple.

The maximum amount varies depending on your situation:

• $1,185.52 for a single person
• $3,066 for a single-parent family
• $1,848.34 for a couple with no kids
• $3,983.50 for a couple with at least one child

Eligible family income has to stay under a threshold that ranges from $24,475 to $59,369 depending on your situation. There's also an extra $200 a month, for up to 12 consecutive months, for people transitioning off last-resort financial assistance and into a job.

If you're signed up for advance payments, the October deposit arrives by the 15th at the latest.

Full details are available through Revenu Québec.

Shelter Allowance Program

For anyone whose rent is eating up too much of the budget, this provincial program, jointly run by the Société d'habitation du Québec and Revenu Québec, offers help to low-income individuals and families, including people living alone starting at age 50 and single parents.

Depending on income, housing costs, and household makeup, the monthly assistance can reach $100, $150, or $170.

A new calculation period kicks in on October 1, 2026 and runs through September 2027. As usual, the deposit lands within the first five days of the month.

Full program details are available through Revenu Québec.

Canada Child Benefit

Every month, the Canada Child Benefit (CCB) helps parents cover some of the costs that come with raising kids. Anyone with primary responsibility for a child under 18 could potentially qualify.

How much you get depends on your child's age and your family's net income. For the July 2026 to June 2027 period, a family income under $38,237 gets the full maximum:

• $679.75 a month per child under 6
• $573.58 a month per child aged 6 to 17

Above that threshold, the amount gradually decreases.

In shared custody situations split at least 40/60, each parent gets half the amount calculated based on their own income.

Deposit date: October 20, 2026

More information is available through the CRA.

Quebec Pension Plan

Anyone who's contributed to the Quebec Pension Plan (QPP) throughout their working life can start collecting a pension once they retire. The standard age is 65, but you can start as early as 60 for a reduced amount, or wait until 72 for a boosted one.

The amount depends directly on how much you contributed over your career. Here's the 2026 monthly maximum by age:

• At 60: up to $964.90 a month
• At 65: up to $1,507.65 a month
• At 72: up to $2,394.15 a month

If you keep working past 65, you can choose to stop contributing, which also ends employer contributions on your behalf.

Payment date: October 30, 2026

Full figures are available through Retraite Québec.

Canadian Dental Care Plan

Dental costs add up fast, and this federal program helps ease that burden for households with an adjusted family net income under $90,000 a year, whether you live alone or have kids 18 or younger at home.

Eligible people typically get a letter in the mail with a personalized application code and instructions on how to sign up.

The reimbursable amount varies depending on several factors, including what you actually paid, the plan's set rates, and your adjusted family net income. There's no fixed monthly payment date; reimbursement follows how quickly each claim gets processed.

More information is available through Canada.ca.

Canada Disability Benefit

Since July, the maximum monthly amount for the Canada Disability Benefit (CDB) has been set at $204.20, and it'll stay there until June 2027. What you actually get depends on your adjusted family net income, calculated from your 2025 tax return.

The lower your family income, the closer your payment sits to that maximum. Past a certain threshold, the benefit gradually shrinks by $0.20 for every extra dollar of income, until it phases out completely.

To qualify, you generally need to:

• Be between 18 and 64 years old
• Live in Canada and have filed your 2025 tax return
• Hold a valid Disability Tax Credit (DTC) certificate approved by the CRA

Canadian citizens, permanent residents, and protected persons can qualify, as can people registered under the Indian Act. Someone temporarily in Canada for at least 18 consecutive months may also be eligible.

Payment date: October 15, 2026

Full CDB details are available through Canada.ca.

Family Allowance

Every Quebec parent with a child under 18 can receive the Family Allowance, administered by Retraite Québec. In most cases, there's nothing to apply for since registration happens automatically after you file a birth declaration with the Directeur de l'état civil.

The amount depends on how many kids you have, your family income, and your relationship status. With this year's 2.05% indexation applied, the annual maximum sits at $3,068 per child, and the minimum is $1,221.

The Family Allowance usually goes out four times a year, though monthly payments can be requested instead.

In shared custody arrangements split 40/60, both parents need to update their file with Retraite Québec to each receive half the allowance.

The final 2026 payment is scheduled for October 1.

More on the Family Allowance is available through Retraite Québec.

Canada Groceries and Essentials Benefit

This federal program replaced the old GST/HST credit as of July 2026. It provides tax-free financial support to low- and moderate-income households, regardless of whether you worked during the year.

To qualify, you generally need to be a resident of Canada for tax purposes, be at least 19, and fall within the set income thresholds. For example, a single person with no kids needs an adjusted family net income under $60,012, based on their 2025 tax return.

The maximum amounts for the July 2026 to June 2027 period are:

• Single individual: up to $679
• Married or common-law couple: up to $890
• Per eligible child under 19: an extra $234

Since the benefit is paid out in four equal instalments over the year, the October deposit could reach:

• $169.75 for a single person
• $222.50 for a couple
• An extra $58.50 per eligible child

The CRA sends a notice spelling out your total annual entitlement and payment schedule. If you're set up for direct deposit, the money lands in your account automatically.

Expected deposit: October 5, 2026

Full details are available through the CRA.

This story was inspired by the article "9 prestations et crédits d’impôt qui attendent les célibataires du Québec en octobre 2026" which was originally published on Narcity.

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