The Ontario government wants to make it easier for real people, not so-called scalper bots, to buy concert tickets online.
After thousands of fans of The Tragically Hip missed out on buying tickets to the band's final tour when tickets were sold out in a matter of minutes, only to see tickets being sold at huge mark-ups on resale websites, the province said it would make the process of buying tickets online better.
On Tuesday, Attorney General Yasir Naqvi announced the launch of public consultations aimed at improving access to tickets for all.
"Like so many people across Ontario, I love going to the great shows and events this province has to offer," Naqvi said in a news release. "I also know how frustrating it is to see the tickets you want sell out right away, only to see them pop up for resale at double the price. That isn’t fair – and it isn’t right. That’s why the government is calling on fans across Ontario to help us change the rules so that we all have a fair shot at getting the tickets we want."
The province says it is looking for feedback in four specific areas: access, affordability, transparency, and enforcement.
It says it wants to address consumer concerns about resale prices and service charges on tickets, make more information available to ticket buyers, and make sure laws surrounding ticket purchasing are followed.
People can go to ontario.ca/tickets and complete a survey. The government will collect input until March 15.