VANCOUVER (NEWS1130) – As Ontario prepares to introduce legislation banning online ticket scalper bots, a local NDP MLA says BC should do the same.

Vancouver-West End representative Spencer Chandra-Herbert has been fighting for tougher scalper rules for years and wants a ban on the sophisticated computer programs that scoop up huge blocks of online tickets before most people can make a purchase.

“I hear from people across the province who don’t understand why BC lets people who have access to scalping software on computers, get in and buy up all the tickets and then resell them for much higher rates,” he says. “It’s greedy, does nothing good for the economy and is just sort of a lecherous form of predatory pricing.”

He said he would like to see national action from all the provinces.

Public Safety Minister Mike Morris has previously stated the government has no current plans to ban scalping bots because the law is very difficult to enforce.

“While the internet can be challenging, if major ticket sellers in Canada know that ticket bots are illegal, if you show up with an illegally bought ticket, it’s not going to be able to be used,” Chandra-Herbert says. “Exactly how it’s done needs to be worked out.”

Chandra-Herbert concedes a ban will never fully eliminate scalping or similar programs, but he believes an effort must be made to reduce the number of incidents. He also knows that there is a market for reselling tickets for people who have legitimate reasons for being unable to attend an event.