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Canada’s Billets.ca and its president face hundreds of thousands of dollars in fines after being hit with more than 20 charges by Quebec’s consumer protection agency.
The Quebecoise Office of Consumer Protection accuses Billets.ca of illegally reselling tickets at prices higher than those advertised by authorised sellers. It also claims that the platform resold tickets that it did not hold, with all the violations alleged to have taken place from between November 2022 and September last year.
A total of 26 violations of the Consumer Protection Act have been issued by the consumer protection agency. If found guilty, Billets.ca could be fined between CAD2,000 (£1,100/$1,400/€1,350) and CAD100,000 per violation, while president Éric Bussières faces fines ranging from CAD600 and CAD15,000.
“The company and its president have 30 days after the date of service of the notices of violation to enter their plea of guilty or not guilty,” read a statement from the government office.
“After this period, if they have pleaded not guilty, the files will be transferred to the court for trial. It is at this stage that the evidence will become public.”
Quebec’s Consumer Protection Act prohibits any vendor from charging a higher price for tickets to a show than the price advertised by the original seller which has been authorised by the producer of the show. This is unless the merchant has received authorisation to do so. In order to legally resell tickets, a merchant must notify the consumer that it is a resale.
The move was welcomed by the Quebec Association of the Recording, Entertainment and Video Industry (ADISQ), which said it has filed numerous complaints concerning Billets.ca.
“It is a relief to see that charges have finally been brought against Billets.ca and its fraudulent resale practices,” said ADISQ executive director Ève Paré.
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