Quebec is moving to crack down on ticket scalping and hidden subscription renewals with a new bill tabled Tuesday by Justice Minister Simon Jolin-Barrette that would overhaul key sections of the province’s Consumer Protection Act (CPA).
“Neither the Quebec entertainment industry nor Quebec artists see any of the profits made by resellers,” Jolin-Barrette said during a news conference in Quebec City on Tuesday.
“The companies behind these unfair practices are nothing more than parasites on Quebec culture.”
The new legislation says ticket resale platforms must be upfront with a clear, prominent notice claiming it is a resale platform and that tickets may be available for less from the official seller.
“Sometimes consumers buy tickets on a resale site and don’t even know it because they look like the official ticket office,” said Sara Eve Levac, a lawyer with Option consommateurs, a consumer advocacy group.
“There should be more transparency so people know exactly what kind of tickets they’re buying.”
Sites that mix primary and resale tickets must flag which tickets are resales at the exact same moment and in the same way. And resellers must disclose several details to the consumer, including the exact seat, if applicable, and the name of the last person who owned the ticket.
Resale prices cannot exceed the official seller
