The Ontario government is proposing new legislation that would cap ticket resale prices at their original cost in an effort to protect consumers from inflated prices in the secondary market.
The Ministry of Public and Business Service Delivery and Procurement announced Friday that proposed amendments to the Ticket Sales Act, 2017, would make it illegal to resell tickets to concerts, sports and other live events in Ontario for more than the original purchase price.
“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.”
If passed, the changes would define the allowable resale price as the full original cost paid to the primary seller, including any fees, service charges or applicable taxes. The government said it is also proposing stronger protections against fake tickets and new powers to address unfair service charges during the purchasing process.
“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 province said the proposed cap is aimed at addressing long-standing concerns about professional resellers and inflated ticket prices that limit access to live events.
“Ontario offers a wide range of live events, and by putting reasonable limits on resale ticket prices, we’re helping make them more affordable for residents and visitors,” said Stan Cho, Minister of Tourism, Culture and Gaming.
The legislation is expected to be introduced in the coming days. If approved, the resale cap would apply to all future ticket resales and to both individuals and platforms facilitating those transactions.
The government said further details on its broader economic plan will be included in the 2026 provincial budget, set for release on March 26.
