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Opened an RESP? How to get the government money you may be entitled to

Short answer

The basic grant is 20% of the first $2,500 contributed each year, so $500 a year, up to $7,200 in a child's lifetime. Families with lower income get an extra 10% or 20% on the first $500. They may also qualify for the Canada Learning Bond. It pays $500 plus $100 a year up to $2,000 without any contribution. The grant is claimed through the RESP provider; the bond needs the child's SIN and your tax returns on file.

Rex Tax Inc. · Information checked against official sources. Last updated October 3, 2026 · Published October 3, 2026

Who this is for

Parents and grandparents who have opened, or are about to open, a Registered Education Savings Plan. It covers the two government programs that pay into the plan and the rules that decide how much arrives. It does not compare RESP providers or investments.

The seven rules

  1. Basic grant: 20% of the first $2,500 a year. Contribute $2,500 and the Canada Education Savings Grant adds $500. Contribute $1,000 and it adds $200. The grant goes into the RESP, not to you.

  2. Additional grant for lower and middle incomes. On the first $500 contributed each year, families with 2026 adjusted family net income under $58,523 get an extra 20%. Families between $58,523 and $117,045 get an extra 10%. That makes the yearly maximum $600, $550 or $500 depending on income.

  3. Lifetime grant cap: $7,200 per child. Once the child’s RESP has received $7,200 in grant, contributions still grow tax-sheltered but attract no more grant.

  4. Missed years can be caught up, slowly. Unused grant room carries forward until the end of the year the child turns 17. In a catch-up year you can receive up to $1,000 of grant, which means contributing $5,000 that year. The grant ends after the year the child turns 17, with extra conditions at 16 and 17.

  5. The Canada Learning Bond needs no contribution. Eligible children receive $500 in the first year of eligibility. They receive $100 for each later eligible year up to age 15, to a maximum of $2,000. Eligibility is checked each year against adjusted income and the number of children. A young adult can still request it for themselves from 18 until the day before they turn 21.

  6. The contribution limit is per child, for life. $50,000 per beneficiary, with no annual limit. Going over costs 1% a month on the excess. Contributions are not tax-deductible.

  7. Money comes out in two kinds. Your contributions come back tax-free. Grant, bond and growth are paid out as educational assistance payments, taxed in the student’s hands, usually at a low rate. In the first 13 weeks of full-time study the educational payment is capped at $8,000.

How the pieces connect

The grant rate and the bond depend on income from your tax return. So filing on time matters here as well as for the child benefit. The Canada child benefit itself is not taxable and does not count toward income. An RESP does the education job; it is not a substitute for a TFSA, an RRSP or life insurance, which each do a different job.

One thing many people do not realize

The Canada Learning Bond does not require you to contribute anything. A child born in 2004 or later can receive $500 the first year and $100 a year after, up to $2,000. This is for a family with adjusted income of $58,523 or less (for one to three children). You only need an RESP open, the child’s SIN, and your tax returns filed. People who have not opened an RESP because they could not afford to contribute are the people missing it.

What to prepare

  • The child’s Social Insurance Number
  • Your most recent Notices of Assessment
  • The RESP statement showing contributions, grant and bond received
  • The birth years of all children in the family (the bond income band depends on the count)

When professional help may make sense

A child who did not go on to post-secondary education. In that case the grant is returned and the growth is taxed with a 20% extra tax unless moved to an RRSP with room. Another case is a family plan with several children. A third is a grandparent-opened plan alongside a parent-opened one.

How Rex Tax may be able to help

We confirm from your returns which grant band and bond you qualify for. We check the plan statement against it. We also plan withdrawals so the student’s tax stays low.

Official sources

Related guides

This guide is general information, not advice about your situation. It reflects the rules for the 2026 tax year. It has not yet been reviewed by a practitioner. The information was checked against the official sources listed above on the date shown. Rules change. Check the official sources above or ask us. How we prepare these guides.

Not sure what your RESP has received?

Bring the RESP statement and your Notices of Assessment. We check the grant and bond received, the room carried forward, and the income band for this year.

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