Ticketmaster to Reimburse 1 Million Canadians in $6M Settlement Over Hidden Fees

REGINA, Saskatchewan — A $6-million settlement finalized last week at Regina‘s Court of King's Bench could see approximately 1 million Canadians receive credits from Ticketmaster for deceptive fees charged in 2018. The class-action lawsuit, led by plaintiff Crystal Watch, accused the ticketing giant of hiding additional fees during ticket purchases, a practice known as “drip pricing.”

The settlement, approved by Justice Graeme Mitchell, allows eligible customers to claim up to $45 in Ticketmaster credit for future purchases. The credit is transferable but can only be used once. Watch, who served as the representative plaintiff, received a $25,000 honorarium from the settlement fund.

The lawsuit alleged that Ticketmaster violated The Consumer Protection and Business Practices Act by adding unnecessary fees to ticket prices without clear disclosure. While Ticketmaster denied any wrongdoing, the company agreed to settle without going to trial.

To qualify for compensation, customers must have purchased tickets through Ticketmaster for Canadian events between Jan. 1 and June 30, 2018. Residents of Quebec and Ticketmaster employees are excluded from the settlement.

Regina lawyer Tony Merchant, whose firm represented the plaintiffs, estimated that up to 100,000 Saskatchewan residents and 1 million Canadians nationwide could be eligible for the credit. Eligible customers will receive an email from Ticketmaster with instructions on how to claim their credit. Those who do not receive the email can contact Merchant’s firm for assistance.

Of the $6-million settlement, $1,725,000 will go toward legal fees, leaving $4.3 million to be distributed among affected customers. In his written decision, Justice Mitchell acknowledged the case as a legitimate consumer protection lawsuit that could only have been pursued as a class action. “Class counsel deserve an economic incentive for pursuing this claim to its successful resolution,” he wrote.