Rules on resale prices

It is illegal for individuals and businesses to resell tickets or facilitate their resale for more than the original total price paid to the primary seller.

These rules will protect consumers and give them the information they need when buying a ticket on the secondary market.

As a result, a consumer buying a resale ticket will never pay more than the original total ticket price, plus applicable taxes and resale platform fees.

A ticket for a live event is purchased from the primary seller for the original total price.  Under the new requirements, that ticket may only be resold for the same price or a lower price than what was originally paid. The only added costs can be the applicable taxes and the resale platform’s standard service fees.

The total price includes:

  • base price
  • fees
  • service charges
  • taxes

What must be shown in resale listing

Anyone who makes a ticket available for resale must clearly show:

  • the original total price of the ticket (when it was bought from the primary seller)
  • an itemized list of any applicable fees, service charges or taxes
  • the total resale price

Ticket validity and possession

It is illegal for anyone to make a ticket available for sale if that ticket is not in their possession or control.

If you buy from a secondary seller or secondary ticketing platform, you must receive a money-back guarantee that the ticket is valid (in writing). For example, this means that if the ticket does not grant you admission to the event or if the event is cancelled before the ticket can be used, the secondary seller or secondary ticketing platform must give you a refund for the ticket.

Fees and service charges

Fees and service charges may only be applied to your resale ticket by a secondary seller or a secondary ticketing platform. However, if a secondary seller is using a secondary ticketing platform to make a ticket available for sale, only the platform may apply fees or service charges for the transaction.

Proof of original ticket price

Resellers must give proof of the original price of the ticket to the secondary ticketing platform before selling the ticket.

An operator of a secondary ticketing platform cannot facilitate the resale of a ticket without first receiving proof of the original price of the ticket from the reseller.

Identity of resellers

On the listing, resellers must clearly show their:

  • name
  • location
  • contact information

A secondary ticketing platform must also show this information in the listing, unless the platform provides a money‑back guarantee.

Who the rules apply to

The Ticket Sales Act, 2017 applies to all tickets to sporting, recreational or cultural events located in Ontario, regardless of where the ticket seller or reseller is based or operating.

Ticket businesses making tickets available for sale to events in Ontario must either:

  • be incorporated in Ontario or federally
  • maintain an address in Ontario

Who the rules do not apply to

The Ticket Sales Act, 2017 does not apply to tickets for events held at:

  • schools (for example, events in elementary schools or post-secondary institutions)
  • buildings owned or operated by a municipality or community organization
  • places of worship

The resale price cap rules and money-back guarantee rules do not apply if the ticket resale is for the benefit of a registered charity, as defined under the Income Tax Act (Canada).

Record-keeping and compliance obligations

Secondary ticketing platforms must collect and keep:

  • specific records of each ticket offer made available for sale through their platform
  • the name, location and contact information of the person using their platform to make a ticket available for sale
  • they must retain these for a minimum of 3 years.

Additional rules for selling tickets

There are requirements for how tickets are sold and resold to give consumers clear information when they buy tickets for concerts, sports, theatre and other major events in Ontario.

Tickets on the primary market

Before tickets go on sale, primary sellers must publicly show:

  • information about how the tickets will be distributed, including any pre-sales
  • the maximum capacity for the event

When tickets are on sale, primary sellers must disclose in the offer:

  • the total price of the ticket, in Canadian dollars (including an itemized list of applicable fees, service charges and taxes)
  • the ticket seat location or standing area, if applicable

After you buy a ticket, the primary seller must provide you with a ticket that prints or displays the total price paid on the ticket. This applies to:

  • individual tickets
  • tickets sold through packages, such as season tickets

Free tickets

If you get a free ticket from a primary seller (for example, a complimentary or “comped” ticket), the primary seller must print or display the equivalent total price of the ticket.

Before you buy

Whether you buy from a website or an individual, you should:

  • read the ticket listing carefully
  • check the total price, including all fees, service charges and taxes
  • confirm the seat location, if there is one

All ticket prices must be shown and charged in Canadian dollars.

If you buy a resale ticket:

  • the listing must show the original ticket price and the resale price
  • both prices must include all fees and taxes
  • you must receive either:
    • written proof from the primary seller that the ticket is valid
    • a written money‑back guarantee from the secondary seller or secondary ticketing platform

This helps protect you if the ticket does not let you into the event.

Ticket bots

Ontario law bans the use and sale of automated ticket-buying software (also known as ticket bots or bots). It also bans any individual or organization from knowingly selling or facilitating the sale of tickets that were purchased using bots.

Breaking this rule is an offence under the Ticket Sales Act, 2017. An individual that is not compliant with the statute can be charged and if convicted of an offence under the Act is liable to court-ordered penalties up to $50,000 or to imprisonment for a term of not more than two years less a day, or both.  A corporation that is not compliant with the statute can be subject to an administrative penalty of up to $3,000 and were convicted of an offence under the Act is liable to court-ordered penalties up to $250,000.

Glossary of terms

Primary seller
A person or organization that is engaged in the business of making tickets available for sale (other than a secondary seller). This includes the owner of the place to which a ticket provides admission (the event venue), the promoter of the event occurring at that place, and any agent of those persons.
Secondary seller
An individual (for example, professional reseller) or organization that is engaged in the business of making tickets available for resale that were originally made available by the primary seller.
Secondary ticketing platform
A website, online service, electronic application, print publication or physical location that facilitates the sale of tickets by providing ticket sellers, other than primary sellers, with a venue to make their tickets available for sale.
Ticket business
A primary seller, a secondary seller or an operator of a secondary ticketing platform.
Total cost of the original ticket
This includes a ticket’s base price, fees, service charges and taxes applied at the time the ticket was originally bought from the primary seller.
Ticket bot
Software, including automated ticket purchasing software, designed to circumvent security measures or control systems that are used to ensure an equitable ticket buying process on a website, online service or electronic application.

Contact us

For questions about Ontario ticket sales or to file a complaint about ticket sales practices, including complaints about the use of ticket bots, please contact Consumer Protection Ontario: