A royalty is a payment made to a resource owner for the right to extract natural resources from their land. In Canada, most subsurface mineral rights are owned by provincial governments (Crown land), so oil, gas, and mining companies pay royalties to provinces for extraction. Royalty rates and structures vary by province and resource type. Royalties are major revenue sources for resource-producing provinces like Alberta, Saskatchewan, and Newfoundland and Labrador. Some private landowners, particularly in Alberta, own mineral rights and receive private royalties. Indigenous communities may receive royalties through treaty rights or impact-benefit agreements. Royalty revenues fluctuate with commodity prices and production volumes.