Crackdown on high price ticket re-sales in the works for BC
Posted December 15, 2017 4:12 pm.
Last Updated December 17, 2017 1:10 pm.
This article is more than 5 years old.
VANCOUVER (NEWS 1130) – Now that Ontario’s passed legislation aimed at protecting fans trying to buy tickets for a high profile concert or sporting event, BC could be next.
Frustrated buyers for two upcoming Vancouver shows are complaining about being immediately re-directed to high-price brokers.
A quick look online shows some are seeking more than $8,800 for a single seat at the May 10th and 11th Eagles concerts.
Longtime Vancouver-West End MLA Spencer Chandra Herbert says work is being done to develop legislation in BC similar to what Ontario’s government passed earlier this week which involves capping prices at 50 per cent above face value.
“The BC government is reviewing what’s happened in Ontario. Looking at their legislation, as well as looking at legislation from across Canada to see what works best here. It’s still early days, but I’m hopeful, seeing Ontario act, we can get somewhere in BC as well.”
Chandra Herbert spent several years lobbying the former Liberal government in BC for action.
“We are going to get action. How soon, I can’t say. I know that there are many, many items we want to change and fix in the province after years of neglect.”
Within seconds of sales opening up for the second show by the Eagles, buyers were being re-directed to online brokers seeking thousands for a single seat and Chandra Herbert says that’s not fair.
“We’ve got to do it in a way that preserves the public’s ability to get a first crack at the ticket at the price the artist wants to sell it at –not at some inflated scalper-driven price. I’ll continue to call for that and we’ll see where it goes. You know, I don’t know where the cap would be, but I think you can’t end ticket re-selling completely. Um, if somebody gets sick and can’t go to a show, why should they be penalized and not able to re-sell their ticket?”
In Ontario, re-sales are capped at 50 per cent above face value, but after confirming legislation is in the works here, Solicitor General Mike Farnworth is not saying yet how soon it can be approved.
Many fans took to social media to complain earlier this year when tickets went on sale for Pink’s show –also in May.
