Are you missing out on lease payments? You’re not alone – this happens a lot.

Alberta spent over 30 million in taxpayer dollars to cover oil and gas companies’ unpaid rent in 2024. The government has spent nearly 150 million since 2010 – and the number keeps rising as more companies stop making their payments to landowners.  If you aren’t being paid, apply to the Government of Alberta to be compensated.

The Land & Property Rights Tribunal explains how to apply to get your hands on missing payments.

Anyone can apply who:

  • (a) is entitled to receive payments under a compensation order or a surface lease, and
  • (b) has not received payment after a due date.

Applications are made under section 36 of the Surface Rights Act and you have to reapply each year.

You can apply one of two ways.

  1. You can download a Recovery of Compensation Form and email, fax, or mail it to the Land and Property Rights Tribunal.
  2. OR, you can apply online through the Surface Rights E-File Portal. The form asks for contact information as well as basic information about your agreement and the location of the site.

You’ll need to have the legal land description and the well or facility’s license number handy. Here is a video to help you fill out the 3-page form.

    Here is a list of what to expect after you apply, and what information and documents the Tribunal considers relevant to your application. For example, the Tribunal is generally interested in knowing whether you have a valid agreement, when it was signed, and what the exact payments are. You could demonstrate this with a copy of a signed lease, agreement, or the most recent amendment. Rest assured – if you can’t find copies of the exact document you’re looking for, the Tribunal accepts any documents you submit to support your claim. Note that you will have to complete a separate application for each surface lease or agreement with missing payments.

    You might be wondering – what if the Tribunal orders an operator to pay, but the operator does not? If the Tribunal decides the operator owes you money, the Tribunal sends the operator written notice demanding payment. If the operator does not provide proof of payment to the Tribunal within 30 days, the Tribunal can direct the Minister to pay you from Alberta’s General Revenue Fund. That way, the operator owes a debt to the government and you receive the amount ordered by the Tribunal.

    *Please note: This post is not legal advice. The above materials were reproduced for educational purposes. This post was not made in affiliation with or with endorsement by the AER or the Government of Alberta. Reliance upon Ecojustice’s use of these materials is at the risk of the end user.