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The short answer
The Canada Education Savings Grant (CESG) adds 20% of the first $2,500 you put into a child's RESP each year, which is $500, up to a lifetime maximum of $7,200 per child. Lower- and middle-income families get an extra 10% or 20% on the first $500, and unused grant room carries forward, so a family catching up can receive up to $1,000 in one year on $5,000 of contributions. These are the Government of Canada's figures as at August 2026.
The basic match
The CESG is paid by the Government of Canada into a Registered Education Savings Plan (RESP) when you contribute. Its estimating page (modified 10 August 2026) sets the basic rate at 20% of the first $2,500 contributed each year, so the most you get at the basic rate in a normal year is $500.
Contributions above $2,500 in a year do not attract more grant unless you have unused room from earlier years.
The additional grant for lower and middle incomes
Families with lower adjusted family net income receive an additional amount on the first $500 contributed. For 2026:
| Adjusted family net income (2026) | Additional CESG | Maximum CESG in the year |
|---|---|---|
| Less than $58,523 | 20% of first $500 ($100) | $600 |
| $58,523 to $117,045 | 10% of first $500 ($50) | $550 |
| More than $117,045 | None | $500 |
Newcomers in their first year often have a low Canadian income, which can place them in the top-up bands. As with other benefits, income is measured from tax returns, so file even a part-year return.
Lifetime limit, age limits and catching up
- Lifetime maximum: $7,200 per child.
- Age: available until the end of the calendar year the child turns 17.
- Ages 16 and 17: the child only qualifies in these years if, before the end of the year they turned 15, at least $2,000 was contributed and not withdrawn, or at least $100 a year was contributed in any four earlier years.
- Carry forward: unused grant room builds up, and you can receive 20% on up to $5,000 of contributions in one year, so up to $1,000 of CESG, until the lifetime maximum is reached.
The 16-and-17 rule catches families who arrive when a child is already a teenager. A child who arrives at 14 and gets no contributions before the end of the year they turn 15 cannot receive the CESG at 16 or 17.
Worked examples
Steady saving from birth
Example only. A family contributes $2,500 every year and receives the basic $500. After 14 years the grant totals $7,000; in the 15th year only $200 more can be paid before the $7,200 lifetime limit is reached, which takes a $1,000 contribution. The family has contributed $36,000 by then (14 years of $2,500, plus $1,000), and 20% of $36,000 is $7,200.
Catching up after arrival
Example only. Adaeze has lived in Winnipeg for several years with her son, now 9, but only opens an RESP this year. Her provider confirms she has unused CESG room from earlier years, and she contributes $5,000. At 20% on up to $5,000, the grant is $1,000 that year, plus any additional amount for her income band on the first $500. If she keeps contributing $5,000 a year while room remains, she catches up far faster than at $2,500 a year. How much room a child who spent early years abroad has built up depends on the government's rules on grant room, so ask the RESP provider to confirm the figure before contributing a large sum.
Mistakes that cost families grant money
- Contributing more than $2,500 with no carried-forward room. The extra earns no grant that year. Spread it over years instead.
- Leaving it until the teenage years. The rule for ages 16 and 17 means a late start can shut the grant off entirely.
- Not filing tax returns. The additional grant depends on adjusted family net income, which comes from your returns.
- Assuming the bank applies automatically. Ask the provider to confirm that it has applied for the CESG, and check the first statement.
Saving from income earned in Nigeria
RESP contributions go to a Canadian provider, so if you are funding contributions from rent or savings in Nigeria, plan conversions so that the year's $2,500 is in place before 31 December; a contribution that lands in January counts for the new year.
The CESG and the Canada Learning Bond
The CESG matches contributions. The Canada Learning Bond needs no contribution at all and is paid to lower-income families. A family under the income limits can receive both in the same RESP.
Steps
- Get the child a SIN.
- Open an RESP and ask the provider to apply for the CESG and, if eligible, the CLB.
- Contribute up to $2,500 a year, more if you have carried-forward room.
- Make sure contributions are in place before the end of the year the child turns 15 if you want grants at 16 and 17.
- Keep annual statements showing contributions and grants.
Where Pryme fits
Some families fund RESP contributions from income or rent earned in Nigeria. A Pryme account holds NGN, USD, GBP and EUR, and Swap shows the rate and fee before you approve a conversion.
Questions people ask
How much does the government add to an RESP?
The basic CESG is 20% of the first $2,500 a year, so $500. Lower-income families can get up to $600 a year, middle-income up to $550.
What is the lifetime CESG limit?
$7,200 per child, per the Government of Canada.
Can I catch up on missed CESG?
Unused room carries forward, and you can receive 20% on up to $5,000 of contributions a year, so up to $1,000 of CESG, until the lifetime maximum is reached.
My child is 16. Can I still get the CESG?
Only if at least $2,000 was contributed before the end of the year they turned 15, or $100 a year in any four earlier years.
Sources
- Government of Canada: Estimating RESP amounts, CLB and CESG (modified 10 Aug 2026) · accessed Oct 2026
- Government of Canada: Canada Learning Bond (modified 2 Jul 2026) · accessed Oct 2026
This article is general information, not financial, legal or tax advice. Products described are provided under the terms on this site and are subject to regulation and eligibility.