Calls for Canada to regulate resale concert tickets
Ticket Fraud and Price Gouging at Taylor Swift Concerts Spark Calls for Change in Canada
Recent incidents of ticket fraud and exorbitant prices for Taylor Swift concerts have prompted some politicians to urge for reforms in the way tickets are sold in Canada.
Brian Masse, NDP critic for innovation, science and industry and MP for Windsor West, expressed his concerns to CTV News Toronto, stating, “A lot of families are looking forward to this event and the fun they would have, and they feel shut out of the process.”
In a letter addressed to Francois-Philippe Champagne, the federal minister of innovation, science and industry, Masse called for a crackdown on price gouging in the ticketing industry.
“The arrival of Taylor Swift’s popular ‘Eras Tour’ concerts in Canada has highlighted your government’s failure to address price gouging in the ticketing and entertainment sector,” Masse wrote in the letter. “Moms who have saved up for a special gift for their kids and hard-working young individuals striving to get ahead have been devastated to discover they cannot afford tickets.”
Masse urged the federal minister to launch an investigation into Ticketmaster and the ticketing industry as a whole, emphasizing the need to “take immediate action to collaborate with provinces to crack down on scalper bots and resellers.”
“It’s detrimental for artists, it’s detrimental for the economy, and it only benefits illicit entities that generate revenue through this unethical practice,” Masse emphasized.
Additionally, a petition, endorsed by a federal Green Party MP, has been circulating to advocate for enhanced protections for ticket buyers in Canada. The petition highlighted how one resale site listed a Taylor Swift ticket for $13,000, labeling it as a “great deal.”
“In Portugal and Denmark, tickets cannot be resold for more than their original price,” the petition stated. “In Germany, a clause can be included in the ticket’s terms and conditions to prohibit resale above 25 per cent of face value. In France, unauthorized ticket resale can result in fines of up to €30,000.”
Masse criticized the merger of Live Nation and Ticketmaster, claiming that it has stifled competition and necessitates further scrutiny. He argued that the current ticketing system is flawed and needs to be reevaluated.
“Being aware that a bot or a ticket reseller may profit off your purchase or exclude you from the process due to unaffordable prices is unjust, and the fact that Ticketmaster and other entities benefit from this situation is unacceptable,” Masse remarked.
