TORONTO — Ontario officials say they have fined ticket reseller StubHub Canada Ltd. a total of $20,000 under the province’s recently enacted law that caps resale prices at face value.
Two penalties, one ruling
The provincial Consumer Beware List shows the government levied two separate $10,000 penalties on Sept. 9: one for allegedly listing a ticket for sale above its face value and another for allegedly facilitating a transaction without proof of the original price.
Government materials did not identify which events or listings were tied to the fines.
StubHub’s response and planned appeal
StubHub did not provide details about the specific listings but said it will seek to have the fines overturned. In an emailed statement, company spokesperson Jack Sterne questioned how the law expects marketplace platforms to verify original ticket prices.
“The fact is we are upholding our responsibility as best we can despite the law’s silence on some core issues, like how a marketplace should verify the original price of a ticket,” Sterne said.
He added that the platform will "continue to engage in productive conversation to address these matters, while we defend our rights through the appeals process."
Province stresses enforcement
A spokesperson for the Minister of Public and Business Service Delivery, Stephen Crawford, did not provide additional specifics about the StubHub penalties when asked. Instead, the spokesperson reiterated what the government has said publicly about the new resale rules.
“All ticket sellers in Ontario must comply with our legislation that prohibits the resale of tickets above face value,” the minister’s statement reads. “Any seller who breaks those rules could face fines of up to $250,000 and be publicly identified on the Consumer Beware List. We will not hesitate to hold bad actors who break the rules accountable.”
Context: other platforms under scrutiny
StubHub was among 27 resale sites the province put on notice earlier this year, signalling inspections to check compliance with the new law. Ontario has already fined another major marketplace: SeatGeek Canada was assessed $25,000 in August for allegedly breaching the same price-cap rules.
| Company | Fine | Allegation |
|---|---|---|
| StubHub Canada Ltd. | $20,000 | Sale above face value; facilitating sale without proof of original price |
| SeatGeek Canada | $25,000 | Alleged violation of price-cap law |
What the law requires — and what remains unclear
The legislation, implemented earlier this year, forbids reselling tickets above face value. It also empowers the government to impose fines up to $250,000 and to publish non-compliant sellers on the Consumer Beware List.
But at least one ticket marketplace argues the statute contains gaps on operational details — most notably how online marketplaces should verify a ticket’s original face value when facilitating secondary transactions.
- Ontario has inspected 27 resale websites for compliance with the price-cap law.
- Fines appear to be part of the province’s initial enforcement efforts under the new legislation.
- Marketplaces say they need regulatory clarity on verification obligations.
Implications for buyers and sellers in Ontario
For consumers, the province’s enforcement signals that resale platforms and individual sellers face increased scrutiny and potential penalties if prices exceed face value. For marketplaces, the fines highlight a tension between enforcing the letter of the law and resolving practical verification challenges.
StubHub’s decision to appeal will likely test how courts or tribunals interpret verification duties under the statute and whether the government provides clearer rules by regulation, as the company suggested the province intends to do.
As the story develops, Ontarians who buy or sell tickets on secondary marketplaces should keep receipts and evidence of original prices where possible. The Consumer Beware List will remain a public source for updates on enforcement actions.
— Reporting from Toronto. Ryan Kowalski, Ontario correspondent, WE NEWS.
