SeatGeek Canada has been hit with another $22,500 in penalties by the Ontario government over alleged violations of the province’s ticket resale rules, bringing the company’s total fines this year to $47,500.
The latest penalties include a $15,000 fine for allegedly facilitating a ticket resale above the legal price limit and a separate $7,500 penalty for allegedly failing to disclose a ticket’s original total purchase price.
Ontario prohibits tickets to live events from being resold for more than their original all-in purchase price, including fees, service charges and taxes. Resale platforms must also obtain proof of the original price and display that amount alongside the resale price.
“We are doing our best to comply but we have yet to receive meaningful direction from the government on how to do so,” spokesperson Cameron Papp told The Canadian Press.
SeatGeek was previously fined $25,000 in August for three alleged violations, including facilitating above-limit resales and failing to obtain proof of original ticket prices. In September, StubHub Canada was also fined, to the tune of $20,000, for breaking the province’s new ticket resale rules.
SeatGeek has argued that complying with the rules can be difficult when sellers lack access to original purchase information, particularly when tickets have changed hands multiple times or were purchased through season-ticket packages.
Ontario introduced stronger financial penalties earlier this year as part of its efforts to curb excessive ticket resale prices. Businesses convicted of violating the province’s ticket resale legislation can face court-ordered fines of up to $250,000.
