SeatGeek Canada Inc. was issued an administrative penalty of $25,000 for failing to comply with requirements under the Ticket Sales Act, 2017, including clear requirements prohibiting the resale of event tickets above their original total purchase price.
The penalty is the result of new financial enforcement measures introduced by the province through the 2026 Ontario Budget: A Plan to Protect Ontario, to crack down on illegal ticket resales, protect consumers and families, and keep tickets affordable for fans and families.
On August 28, 2026, SeatGeek Canada Inc. was issued a total financial penalty of $25,000 for the following contraventions:
- $10,000 for failing to ensure that tickets offered for sale on the secondary market did not exceed the total price originally paid to the primary seller.
- $10,000 for failing to disclose the original total purchase price of tickets offered for resale.
- $5,000 for facilitating the resale of tickets without obtaining proof of the total price originally paid to the primary seller.
The company was issued a financial penalty on August 28, 2026, following an inspection conducted on August 5, 2026. SeatGeek Canada Inc. had 15 days to appeal the penalty to the Licence Appeal Tribunal. As it did not file an appeal within that period, the company is required to pay the $25,000 within 30 days of receiving the penalty.
Quick Facts
- The Ticket Sales Act, 2017, makes it illegal for tickets for live events in Ontario to be re-sold for more than their original cost, which is the all-in price originally paid to the primary seller, plus any fees, service charges or applicable taxes charged on the resale.
- The resale price cap applies to anyone who resells a ticket and to any platform that facilitates a ticket resale.
- Under the new changes to the Act, ticket businesses can face administrative penalties of up to $25,000 for each contravention. Businesses that violate multiple requirements under the Act can therefore face multiple penalties of up to $25,000 each.
- Business can also face fines up to $250,000 if convicted of an offence by the courts. Individuals, including officers or directors of a corporation that are found guilty, can also face court-ordered fines up to $50,000 or imprisonment for a term of not more than two years less a day, or both.
- Actions, including this administrative action, under the Ticket Sales Act, 2017, can be found on the Consumer Beware List.