Ontario’s New Rules on Ticket Reselling Spark Mixed Reactions

Fans and industry professionals are reacting positively to the province’s decision to stop event tickets from being resold for more than their original price, but some believe there are still bigger problems that need fixing.

The announcement came out on Friday via a news release and social media from Premier Doug Ford.

This news pleased Michael Brown, a Toronto Blue Jays supporter who ended up spending over three times the face value for four tickets to a game during last fall’s World Series.

He shared with CBC Toronto that a glitch on the Ticketmaster website led him to mistakenly buy resale tickets.

“We were expecting to pay $1,380 and instead the price of those same four tickets was $5,043,” Brown said. “We immediately contacted Ticketmaster to try and cancel the transaction. They said that there was nothing that could be done.”

His experience is part of what’s pushing the provincial government towards this latest crackdown on ticket resales. Back in 2019, Ford’s government removed an anti-scalping regulation that would have limited ticket resales to 50 percent above face value. However, on Friday, changes were proposed to the 2017 Ticket Sales Act which would prevent live event tickets from being sold at prices higher than their original cost.

Michael Brown did attend one of the World Series games at the Rogers Centre in 2025, but only after paying more than three times what he thought he would for tickets. (Submitted by Michael Brown)

Alongside new resale rules, the province aims to tighten regulations against selling counterfeit tickets and develop new policies to reduce unfair service fees.

CBC Toronto reached out to Ticketmaster Canada and Live Nation for comments regarding this story but did not receive responses in time for publication.

Some feel resale price limits should’ve happened sooner

Slater Manzo, a music producer based in Toronto who often attends shows, is hopeful these changes will make it easier for fans to see their favorite artists.

But he also thinks this move should have come earlier.

“It’s a little too late,” Manzo told CBC Toronto. “Especially when you think about something like Taylor [Swift‘s Eras Tour], where the ticket gouging was crazy.”

He believes concert ticket prices are already excessive before even considering resale, mentioning he and friends paid $230 each for Lady Gaga tickets last September.

“That’s already a crazy price per person just to go see an artist, and we weren’t even close to the stage,” Manzo said.

Taylor Swift fans told CBC Toronto they wish the planned price cap on resale tickets had been in effect for the pop star’s Toronto concerts in 2024. (Evan Mitsui/CBC)

Jonathan Bunce, executive and artistic director at Wavelength Music, a non-profit organization that hosts concerts and festivals in Toronto, agrees with him.

“Capping ticket resale is a really good first step, but it won’t fix affordability on its own,” he told CBC Toronto.

Bunce pointed out that prices often inflate before tickets ever hit resale markets. Dynamic pricing is one example where costs change in real time based on market demand, competitor pricing and customer behavior.

The real issue is how tickets are priced and who controls the system in the first place,” he said.</pp

Guillaume Moffet, owner of Friends & Family co., an artist development company focusing on talent management echoed similar thoughts.</pp

“On the surface,[the province’s plan] gives everyone something tangible,” he explained “but it doesn’t address what really matters.”</pp

The monopoly problem makes live events pricier

Moffet mentioned that unless they tackle Ticketmaster’s monopoly over live events as well as Live Nation’s grip on things at large , attending concerts won’t become much cheaper.

“My biggest concern is that prices may shift elsewhere – higher base ticket prices or hidden fees,” he added.

Regarding smaller music venues , El Mocambo executive director Mike Chalut expressed his support , sharing with CBC Toronto how welcomed these proposed changes are.

“I feel like this is truly an exciting moment for live music events ,” Chalut stated.

When ticket resale values skyrocket beyond face value , it can discourage fans from going out live , Chalut noted.

Now though , he’s hoping fewer people will get shut out due financial barriers so audiences can focus back onto enjoying themselves rather worrying about costs involved.

“Let’s focus again onto art itself! Let us emphasize artists!” asserted Chalut.

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