Ontario is taking steps to make live events more affordable for fans by proposing to cap ticket resale prices at their original value. The government plans to amend the Ticket Sales Act of 2017 to make it illegal to resell tickets for more than their original cost, including all fees, service charges, and taxes. This would apply to concerts, cultural events, sports games, and other live entertainment in the province.
Minister of Public and Business Service Delivery and Procurement Stephen Crawford stated that the government is "taking action to help ensure Ontario fans have access to fair resale prices and are not exploited by price gouging". He added that these measures would prevent consumers from being "ripped off" in the ticket resale market. Minister of Sport Neil Lumsden echoed this sentiment, emphasizing the importance of families being able to attend major events without facing dramatically inflated prices.
The move follows Premier Doug Ford's criticism of ticket "gouging" during the Blue Jays' World Series run last year, when fans were outraged by the high resale prices. The government had previously scrapped a law that would have capped resale prices at 50% above face value. Live Nation Entertainment, the parent company of Ticketmaster, has expressed support for the proposed changes.
The government is also proposing to strengthen validity guarantee requirements to combat fake tickets and address unfair service charges and fees. The amendments are expected to be introduced soon, with consultations to follow regarding potential administrative penalties for violations of the act. Currently, ticket businesses can face penalties of up to $10,000 for certain violations.
