Sault Ste. Marie, Ont., MPP Chris Scott 'grateful' domestic assault charges have been withdrawn - CBC
Sault Ste. Marie MPP Chris Scott was elected in February 2025, narrowly defeating NDP candidate Lisa Vezeau-Allen by 118 votes. (Aya Dufour/CBC)Social SharingWARNING: This story references allegations of domestic violence.
Domestic assault charges against Sault Ste. Marie, Ont., MPP Chris Scott have been withdrawn.
Scott's lawyer, Michael Lacy, confirmed to CBC News that the charges were dropped Wednesday morning at the request of the Crown.
Scott was arrested and charged with spousal assault and assault with a weapon in September 2025.
He was immediately removed from Doug Ford's Progressive Conservative caucus and has sat as an Independent at Queen's Park in Toronto ever since.
Lacy said Scott's wife was charged with assaulting him in a separate incident. That charge was also withdrawn, he confirmed.
‘My job hasn’t changed’: Sault Ste. Marie MPP continues work at Queen’s Park while facing assault charges
Report from Queen's Park - Chris Scott, MPP for Sault Ste. Marie
In a public statement, Scott said he's "grateful" the matter has concluded and maintained he didn't commit a crime or engage in violence.
"This matter arose during an extremely difficult and deeply personal period in my life, following the breakdown of my marriage in the summer of 2025," he wrote.
"I believe there must be a distinction between the legitimate public scrutiny that comes with elected office and the private details of a family's life."
Scott said he recognizes the seriousness of allegations surrounding domestic violence and that his personal circumstances "do not change my respect for that responsibility."
But he noted that allegations must be supported by evidence, which he said were not in this case.
"I have experienced first hand how profoundly damaging allegations can be, not only to an individual, but also to their family," he wrote.
"I have always maintained that these allegations did not reflect the truth of what happened, and I have refused to allow my position as a public figure to change my resolve to defend my name."
The Ontario NDP and Ontario Federation of Labour launched a website last year urging Sault Ste. Marie residents to call on Scott to resign.
Scott previously told CBC News that his relationships with cabinet ministers, Conservative members and others at Queen’s Park have stayed “the same," describing his treatment since becoming an Independent as “business as usual.”
In his statement Wednesday, Scott said his commitment to serving as MPP has not changed.
"I will continue to show up, listen, work with people from all walks of life and advocate for the community I am privileged to represent."
Steve Clark, the Ontario Government House leader, confirmed to CBC News that Scott will not be returning to the Progressive Conservative Party.
If you’re in immediate danger or fear for your safety or that of others around you, please call 911. If you’re affected by family or intimate partner violence, you can look for help through crisis lines and local support services.
A College of Sports Media grad, Alex joined CBC News as a journalist in his hometown of Sault Ste. Marie in 2025. When he's not reporting, you'll find Alex cheering on the Canucks, playing piano and watching Schitt's Creek for the millionth time.
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