CEBA repayment deadline: What to know before December 31, 2026

TL;DR: The CEBA repayment deadline is December 31, 2026 for eligible loans in good standing. Your remaining principal is due in full, and the forgiveness deadlines have passed. Confirm your balance and payment instructions, then decide how repayment will fit with your business’s cash flow. If your loan is already in default or has been assigned for collection, follow the notices for your account.

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The CEBA repayment deadline probably isn’t the only thing on your year-end to-do list. You still have a business to run, expenses to cover and plans for the months ahead.

If you have a Canada Emergency Business Account balance left to repay, making a plan now gives you time to work through the details. How much is due? Where should the payment go? And what will your business need in the bank once it’s paid?

Here’s what to know before December 31, 2026.

When is the CEBA repayment deadline?

For eligible CEBA loans in good standing, the remaining principal is due December 31, 2026. The official CEBA repayment guidance sets out the current terms.

These loans are now non-amortizing term loans. In everyday terms, paying the required interest doesn’t gradually pay off the original amount borrowed. Unless you’ve made principal payments too, that balance needs to be repaid in full by the deadline.

Some accounts have different requirements. Loans deemed ineligible were due by December 31, 2023, and a loan can enter default before the final maturity date if its terms aren’t met. If you’ve received a demand letter or assignment notice from your bank, check those instructions rather than relying on the general deadline.

What happened to CEBA loan forgiveness?

The deadline to qualify for partial forgiveness was January 18, 2024. Qualifying borrowers who applied for refinancing through the financial institution that issued their CEBA loan by that date had until March 28, 2024 to make the required repayment.

Those dates have passed. Repaying or refinancing in 2026 won’t save you the forgivable portion. When you’re working out what to pay, start with a current payout amount from the financial institution managing your loan.

The Department of Finance backgrounder explains the earlier forgiveness conditions.

Start with the balance you actually owe

Ask your lender for the amount needed to settle the account, including any unpaid interest and applicable charges. Eligible outstanding CEBA loans have carried 5% annual interest since January 19, 2024, with the payment frequency set by the financial institution.

If your loan is still with your bank or credit union, contact them for your balance and payment instructions. If it has been assigned to the CEBA Program, follow your notice and use the CEBA Portal to view the account. The portal is for assigned loans; other borrowers can continue managing their loans through their financial institutions.

While you’re checking the amount, ask when the payment must be received by and how long it takes to process. Those are good details to have when planning.

Leave room for the business after repayment

A bank balance only tells you so much. Some of that money may already have a job: the next payroll, a supplier invoice or rent coming due.

For example, imagine a business with $55,000 in the bank and a $40,000 CEBA balance. There appears to be enough to pay it off. But if $30,000 is needed for upcoming expenses before the next customer payments arrive, using cash alone would leave a gap. The figures are illustrative; the point is to look at what’s committed as well as what’s available.

Review expected receipts and expenses through the repayment date and into the new year. If January is usually quieter, allow for that. Your repayment plan should leave room for the way your business actually operates.

Choose a repayment approach that fits

If you have sufficient cash available, you may choose to repay directly while keeping an operating buffer that makes sense for your business.

If you’d prefer to keep more cash available for everyday expenses (or the unknown), refinancing may be an option. New financing can repay your remaining CEBA balance and let you spread repayment over a new term. You may also be able to combine cash with financing, so you only borrow the amount you need. Our CEBA loan refinance guide explains how that can work.

If full repayment isn’t within reach, contact the bank managing your loan. Our guide to what happens if you can’t repay CEBA covers the next steps and who to speak with.

Give yourself time to finish the process

If financing is part of your plan, allow time for the application, review and funding, followed by the CEBA payment itself. Approval for new financing doesn’t settle the existing loan; the payment still needs to reach the right account.

Keep the confirmation and check that your payment has been applied. Getting the details sorted ahead of time means one less thing to chase at year-end.

Considering financing for your repayment plan? Explore Journey Capital’s Business Term Loan and speak with a lending advisor about your business’s needs. Funding is subject to lender approval.

Information current as of October 26, 2026, based on published CEBA Program guidance. Confirm your account-specific terms and payment instructions with your financial institution or the CEBA Program.