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How much RESP grant is still on the table?
Three separate programmes, two of them income-tested. Most calculators only show the first one, which is why families on modest incomes routinely leave money behind.
The three programmes
| Programme | What it pays | Income-tested? | Contribution needed? |
|---|---|---|---|
| Basic CESG | 20% of the first $2,500 a year, so $500 — or $1,000 using one year of catch-up | No | Yes |
| Additional CESG | An extra 10% or 20% on the first $500 a year, so $50 or $100 | Yes | Yes |
| Canada Learning Bond | $500 in the first eligible year, then $100 a year to age 15, to $2,000 | Yes | No |
The income brackets, for 2026
The Additional CESG rate is set by adjusted family net income — broadly the figure the government already uses for your Canada Child Benefit:
- $58,523 or less — an extra 20% on the first $500, so $100 a year.
- $58,524 to $117,045 — an extra 10%, so $50 a year.
- Above $117,045 — basic grant only.
Two things people miss. The Additional CESG applies only to the first $500 you contribute in a year, not the first $2,500. And unlike the basic grant, it does not carry forward — a year you did not contribute is a year of additional grant gone for good. It does count toward the $7,200 lifetime CESG maximum.
The Canada Learning Bond, which needs no money at all
The income ceiling rises with the number of children in the household: $58,523 for one to three children, $66,036 for four, $73,577 for five. For more than five, the government asks you to call them.
It is retroactive. A primary caregiver can request it for an eligible child until the day before they turn 18, and the beneficiary can claim it themselves between 18 and 21. If your income was low in earlier years and is not now, those earlier years may still pay.
What this does not model
Investment growth, and provincial programmes — British Columbia offers a one-time $1,200 grant and Quebec a refundable tax credit. Alberta's own RESP grant closed to new applications in 2015; anyone quoting you one is working from old information. See how the RESP works.
Starting late is not the same as being too late.
Catch-up rules let you claim double basic grant in a year, and the Canada Learning Bond is retroactive to birth. Worth mapping properly if a child is already ten or twelve.