Ontario plans to cap ticket resale prices at original value, scalpers ‘on notice’

The Ontario government is planning to amend ticket sales legislation to cap resale prices, despite cancelling similar planned changes seven years ago.

In an announcement made Friday, the government is planning to amend the Ticket Sales Act, 2017 to make it illegal for tickets to concerts, cultural, sports and other live events in the province to be re-sold for higher 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,” Minister of public and business service delivery Stephen Crawford wrote in a statement.

“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 proposed amendments, if passed, would make it illegal for tickets to be resold for more than their original cost, which is the all-in price originally paid to the primary seller, plus any fees, service charges or applicable taxes charged on the resale.

Premier Doug Ford posted on X just before 8 a.m. that they were putting ticket scalpers “on notice.”

We’re putting ticket scalpers on notice: Your days of ripping people off are done. https://t.co/bsnoGRqEx8

— Doug Ford (@fordnation) March 20, 2026

Ford’s government in 2019 scrapped part of a law from the previous Liberal government that would have capped ticket resale prices at 50 per cent above the original face value.

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It also proposes to strengthen validity guarantee requirements to protect against fake tickets, and methods to stop unfair service charges and fees during the buying process.

Brian Berry, the executive director of the Ticket Policy Forum — a coalition of the U.S.’s leading online ticket marketplaces — said in a statement that the proposed changes leave a “glaring loophole for Ticketmaster” and will drive transactions underground.

“This terribly flawed proposal will reduce access to tickets for popular events on reliable platforms that come with guarantees and protections, fuel fraud and scams on social media sites, and empower Ticketmaster and box offices to increase prices without any oversight,” said Berry in the statement.

“Make no mistake: under this proposal, ticket prices will continue to rise and scams will increase.”

He said that the idea is ultimately unenforceable, and is built on the false premise that an overwhelming majority of events sell out.

The provincial government says more information surrounding how it will build a more resilient and more self-reliant economy will be in the 2026 Budget to be released Thursday.

With files from The Canadian Press.

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