The Ontario government has proposed changes to the Ticket Sales Act that would cap resale prices.
The new legislation would make it illegal to sell tickets to concerts, cultural, sports, and other live events in Ontario for more than their original cost.
"We are taking action to help ensure Ontario fans have access to fair resale prices and are not exploited by price gouging when they buy resale tickets for their favourite events,” said Stephen Crawford, Minister of Public and Business Service Delivery and Procurement. “With these new measures, consumers would no longer need to worry about being ripped off in the ticket resale market, and more families and fans would have the opportunity to see their favourite band or sports team perform live."
The government also plans to introduce measures that would strengthen validity requirements to protect against fake ticket sales.
“The use of resale practices that dramatically drive up the price of resale tickets for families to be able to attend major events isn’t fair, and we want more people to have the opportunity to enjoy the excitement of Ontario’s live entertainment scene,” said Neil Lumsden, Minister of Sport.
The penalties that individuals or businesses may face for overcharging have not been set. Currently, ticket businesses can face up to $10,000 in penalties for contraventions of the act.
