Ontario Moves to Ban Ticket Resales Above Face Value

Ontario Premier Doug Ford has signaled his intention to ban the resale of event tickets above their original purchase price.

Why it matters:

• As per Ticket News, this would mark a significant shift in the province’s ticketing policy, with the Ford government having previously denied calls to address issues around ticket affordability and access to events.

• In 2019, a law that would have imposed a 50% cap on resale prices was scrapped.

The details:

• The proposed changes to Ontario’s Ticket Sales Act 2017 would make it illegal to resell tickets above the original all-in price paid to the primary seller, including fees, service charges, and taxes.

• It would apply to concerts, sports, cultural and other live events.

• The legislation would also strengthen consumer protections against fake tickets and create new powers to address unfair service charges and fees.

• Penalties of up to $10,000 are being considered for ticket companies that violate the rules.

Timeline:

• The legislative changes will reportedly be introduced in the coming days, though when they will come into effect is TBC.

What they said:

• Doug Ford, on X: “We’re putting ticket scalpers on notice: Your days of ripping people off are done.”