Cineplex is seeking to attraction its $1.50 on-line reserving charge case to the Supreme Court docket of Canada. This comes after the Federal Court docket of Attraction agreed with the choice from the Competitors Tribunal and in addition imposed a $39 million administrative financial penalty.
This begins all the way in which again in Could of 2023, when the Competitors Bureau filed an utility with the Competitors Tribunal to cease Cineplex’s misleading promoting. In September 2024, the Competitors Tribunal dominated in favour of the Competitors Bureau and located that Cineplex was taking part in ‘drip pricing.’
The Bureau describes drip pricing as “when firms provide low costs to draw shoppers, however then add necessary charges in order that the marketed costs should not attainable, it impacts their skills to make knowledgeable choices.” Cineplex filed a discover of attraction with the Federal Court docket of Attraction to overturn the Tribunal’s resolution; nevertheless, on January 21, 2026, the Federal Court docket of Attraction dismissed Cineplex’s attraction.
Previously, Cineplex argued that the charge is “fully avoidable” as a result of you should buy within the theatre or pay for a $9.99 monthly CineClub membership to have it waived. And Scene+ members get the charge discounted to $1.
Additional, Cineplex says that half of its prospects already go into theatres to purchase tickets. Cineplex additionally argues that the charges are “prominently” displayed on the location. At present, the web reserving charge is sort of distinguished; nevertheless, when the case was made, it was much more tough to see the reserving charge, as reported by MobileSyrup gaming editor Brad Shankar, showcasing that you simply couldn’t see the charge on the web page the place you choose seats and ticket kind.
Header picture credit score: Shutterstock
Supply: The Globe and Mail
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