The assault charges against Sault Ste. Marie MPP Chris Scott have been withdrawn.
Scott’s defence lawyer Michael Lacy confirmed to CBC News that his 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 last year.
He was immediately removed from Doug Ford’s Progressive Conservative caucus and has sat as an independent MPP at Queen’s Park ever since.
Lacy says Scott’s wife was charged with assaulting him in a separate incident, a charge which has also been withdrawn, he confirmed.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 issued Wednesday, Scott says he’s grateful the matter has concluded and maintained that he did not 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 says 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 says were not in this case.
“I have experienced firsthand 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 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 on Wednesday, Scott said his commitment to serving as the MPP for Sault Ste. Marie 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.
