Province moves to cap price of resale tickets to live events
Posted March 19, 2026
The Ontario government is moving to ban ticket scalping above face value, proposing legislative changes it says will curb price gouging and expand access to live events for families and fans.
The province announced plans to amend the Ticket Sales Act, 2017 to make it illegal to resell tickets for concerts, sporting events and other live performances at prices exceeding their original cost. The cap would apply to the full “all-in” price paid to the primary seller, including fees, service charges and applicable taxes.
If passed, the changes would mark a significant tightening of Ontario’s ticket resale framework, targeting professional resellers accused of inflating prices in the secondary market.
Under the proposal, resale listings above the original purchase price would be prohibited, a move the government argues will level the playing field for consumers competing against bulk-buying resellers.
In addition to the price cap, the province says it will strengthen ticket validity guarantees to combat counterfeit sales and introduce new authorities aimed at limiting unfair service charges during the purchasing process.
“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.
The amendments are expected to be introduced in the legislature in the coming days.
Ticket resale has long been a contentious issue in Ontario and across Canada, with critics arguing that speculative buying and automated “bot” purchases restrict supply and drive up prices on secondary platforms.
The proposed cap directly addresses those concerns, though it may face pushback from resale platforms and industry stakeholders who argue such restrictions could limit market flexibility and enforcement practicality.
If enacted, Ontario would join a small number of jurisdictions seeking to impose strict limits on resale pricing, setting up a potential test case for broader regulation of the secondary ticket market in Canada.
Sport Minister Neil Lumsden said the changes are intended to make live events more accessible.
“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,” Lumsden said. “We want more people to have the opportunity to enjoy the excitement of Ontario’s live entertainment scene.”
