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Quebec is moving to crack down on ticket scalping and hidden subscription renewals with a new bill tabled Tuesday by Justice Minister Simon Jolin-Barrette that would overhaul key sections of the province’s Consumer Protection Act (CPA).
“Neither the Quebec entertainment industry nor Quebec artists see any of the profits made by resellers,” Jolin-Barrette said during a news conference in Quebec City on Tuesday.
“The companies behind these unfair practices are nothing more than parasites on Quebec culture.”
The new legislation says ticket resale platforms must be upfront with a clear, prominent notice claiming it is a resale platform and that tickets may be available for less from the official seller.
“Sometimes consumers buy tickets on a resale site and don’t even know it because they look like the official ticket office,” said Sara Eve Levac, a lawyer with Option consommateurs, a consumer advocacy group.
“There should be more transparency so people know exactly what kind of tickets they’re buying.”
Consent needed to inflate price
Sites that mix primary and resale tickets must flag which tickets are resales at the exact same moment and in the same way. And resellers must disclose several details to the consumer, including the exact seat, if applicable, and the name of the last person who owned the ticket.
Resale prices cannot exceed the official seller ’s original price unless explicitly authorized by the event’s producer — and the maximum resale price must be clearly disclosed to the consumer before purchase. Charging any fee just to transfer a ticket to another person would become illegal.
If an event is cancelled, producers must immediately notify official sellers and any authorized resellers of cancellations or changes, the bill states. From there, sellers and resellers must immediately pass that information on to ticket buyers.
Eve Levac said there are already protections and rules in place, but this bill is tightening up those rules.
“We think there should be more transparency to allow consumers to know what kind of tickets they are buying,” she said, noting class-action lawsuits have been launched against some resell sites for charging a higher price for tickets but not making that clear.
Subscription renewal rules upgraded
The bill also streamlines cancelling online subscriptions and gym memberships. For example, it mandates a prominent, one-click “cancel” button for any recurring contract terminable without cause.
Merchants must inform customers of any upcoming price increase at least two days and no more than 10 days before the end of a promotional pricing or introductory subscription period.
Eve Levac said unsubscribing should be as easy as subscribing, and customers should be clearly warned their free trial period is ending. She said other jurisdictions, like California, have also tightened up rules around this practice.
But the bill also takes a shot at cable and telecommunication companies. When a phone, internet or TV provider advertises “only $49.99 a month,” they must clearly display non-monthly fees (activation, modem rental, etc.) right beside that price — in the same size and prominence.
Companies would no longer be able to put clauses in contracts or terms of service that forbid customers from posting honest reviews or comments. And if a merchant charges a fee they’re not allowed to charge under the CPA, they must automatically refund it — even if the consumer used the service.
Most new rules are backed by fines, such as $750 for individuals and $1,500 for companies per violation on subscription rules. It could be up to $175,000 for serious or repeated ticket-resale violations, which are existing CPA maximums.
Most of the bill would come into force three months after royal assent.
