The Legault government plans to tighten rules to better regulate the resale of show tickets, often at crazy prices, as was the case with Bell Center seats for the tribute to Cowboys singer Fringants.
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When free tickets to the national honors ceremony for Karl Tremblay went online a dozen days ago, resellers went to work, sparking widespread outrage.
With some tickets costing $500, the late singer’s wife, Marie-Annick Lépine, immediately pleaded with the public not to encourage resellers. The latter should be “ashamed,” added Culture Minister Mathieu Lacombe in disgust.
“It was just the straw that broke the camel’s back,” CAQ MP Kariane Bourassa told our parliamentary office.
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The Minister of Justice’s parliamentary assistant was therefore given the task of drawing “a better picture” of the situation.
In the coming months, she plans to meet with local stakeholders to find out how Quebec could better regulate the ticket resale phenomenon, which is not new, and also look at what is being done elsewhere.
Anyone who has wanted to attend a popular event in recent years has probably had the unpleasant experience that resellers, often equipped with computer robots, make many tickets disappear as soon as they go on sale.
The Charlevoix–Côte-de-Beaupré member experienced it in person last summer when she tried to snag a pass to the Quebec Summer Festival. “I didn’t manage to get a passport,” she summed up.
“But I stood in line and tried,” she said, “but after a few minutes it was gone and after that we could see passes on the resale sites for $250, $400… There were even tickets for $700.” for one evening!”
Other examples of this type include Legion. Just think of the Foo Fighters last summer, the Taylor Swift tour, the tickets for the Remparts finals in Quebec or the Montreal Canadiens…
Law without teeth
In 2012, the Quebec government passed a law prohibiting the resale of tickets to shows, sporting or cultural events at a price higher than the price approved by the producer of the show or event.
However, the Office of Consumer Protection (OPC), which ensures that this law is applied to resale sites, has no authority over resales between private individuals.
“The resale of tickets between two consumers is not regulated by law. The rules […] For example, they do not apply if you buy tickets on a classifieds website,” the OPC states on its website.
This is exactly where the Legault government wants to start. And “we want to act as quickly as possible,” Ms. Bourassa said, without giving a timetable.