Canada

Alberta Premier Danielle Smith's government is increasing how much it costs to apply for a citizen-initiated referendum by 5,000 per cent, saying it's about making sure applicants are serious.

It's the latest in a series of rule changes that one petitioner — country singer Corb Lund — characterizes as exhausting.

A cabinet order released late Wednesday afternoon upped the fee to $25,000 from $500.

Lund, in an interview, said it's disturbing to see Smith's government make sudden rule changes for what he views as "random, self-serving reasons."

"The chaos and confusion and exhaustion is very similar to the same confusion, chaos and exhaustion that we've seen from the government on how they've been handling the coal situation for the last six years," Lund said.