The pair\u2019s relationship continued throughout that summer, sources say, while the rookie MPP served as Parliamentary Assistant to Stephen Lecce, the Minister of Energy and Mines.<\/p>\n
By mid-September 2025, Scott\u2019s wife, Coline van Scott, had grown suspicious enough to confront him \u2014 driving six hours to South Bend, Indiana, where her husband was attending a two-day conference<\/a> with provincial and state legislators from the Great Lakes-St. Lawrence region.<\/p>\n When she arrived, sources say, she found Scott’s\u00a0staff member\u00a0in his hotel room.<\/p>\n While Scott would not answer specific questions about his alleged workplace relationship, including what happened when\u00a0his wife showed up in Indiana, he told SooToday in an emailed statement that \u201ccontested allegations contained in untested court documents from an unreliable source or party should not be presented as established facts.\u201d<\/p>\n On Sept. 19, three days after the conference wrapped up, the alleged assault took place inside the couple\u2019s now-former home<\/a> in Sault Ste. Marie. Scott was arrested on Sept. 21 and charged with assault and assault with a weapon (the weapon being a \u201chighchair,\u201d according to a sworn statement signed by a police constable).<\/p>\n Promptly ejected from Ford\u2019s PC caucus, Scott has spent the past 10 months as an Independent MPP while his criminal charges \u2014 which he \u201c100 per cent\u201d denies<\/a> \u2014 inch through the system. None of the allegations have been tested in court, and Scott is presumed innocent until proven guilty. His next hearing is scheduled for tomorrow\u00a0morning.<\/p>\n Despite repeated calls<\/a> to resign, the 36-year-old has insisted he won\u2019t step down. In April, he went so far as to express optimism<\/a> that the assault charges would soon \u201cbe behind us\u201d and he\u2019d be welcomed back to Ford\u2019s PC caucus \u2014 a \u201creturn to a sense of normal,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n But little about Scott\u2019s time in office has been normal, and the allegation he was having a secret workplace romance in the months leading up to his arrest sheds more light on why the people of Sault Ste. Marie abruptly lost what they voted for: an MPP in the Ford government. What Scott tried very hard to keep private, sources say, ended up having huge public consequences for the constituents he was elected to serve.<\/p>\n Although there are no rules that specifically forbid an Ontario MPP from having a consensual relationship with a staff member, experts say such behaviour raises ethical and legal questions that go beyond the political fallout. More than anything, office relationships are discouraged because they can create a power imbalance, leaving a subordinate feeling pressured to acquiesce to the boss.<\/p>\n Scott\u2019s alleged workplace conduct could also expose him to questions about preferential treatment, nepotism, and how he spends public dollars. SooToday has confirmed that more than a year later, the woman is still a member of Scott\u2019s legislative staff \u2014 collecting a taxpayer-funded salary.<\/p>\n SooToday has also confirmed there was another alleged altercation between Scott and his wife, months after Scott’s arrest.<\/p>\n Court records show that in February 2026, five months after Scott was kicked out of Ford’s caucus, Coline van Scott was charged with assaulting him at a Toronto address. She was arrested on Valentine\u2019s Day and charged with a single count of assault against her estranged husband.<\/p>\n Court records further reveal that the MPP\u2019s staff member claimed van Scott was \u201charassing and intimidating\u201d her on the same date she was\u00a0arrested, Feb. 14. A month later,\u00a0on\u00a0March 17, the woman went to court to request a Section 810 peace bond, arguing she had reasonable grounds to fear Scott\u2019s wife would \u201ccause personal injury\u201d or damage to her property.<\/p>\n A justice of the peace agreed to sign the bond order, requiring van Scott to \u201ckeep the peace and be of good behaviour\u201d for up to 12 months.<\/p>\n The assault charge against van Scott has not been tested in court, and she is presumed innocent until proven guilty. Her next hearing is scheduled for July 31 in Toronto.<\/p>\n Contacted by SooToday, van Scott declined to comment.<\/p>\n She has since filed for divorce, seeking full custody of the couple\u2019s three young children. On June 16, a family court judge issued a temporary order that requires the Sault MPP to pay $2,985 per month in child support and $1,200 in monthly spousal support.<\/p>\n The court order lists Scott\u2019s annual salary at $163,275.<\/p>\n SooToday emailed Scott a list of questions about his alleged office romance, including whether he disclosed such a relationship to anyone in the Progressive Conservative party, or to the Office of the Integrity Commissioner. We also asked whether he thinks it is\u00a0appropriate for an MPP to have an intimate relationship with a staff member whose salary is funded by taxpayers.<\/p>\n In an emailed response, Scott said \u201cfollowing the advice of my lawyers, I can\u2019t speak on a number of these questions right now.\u201d Specifically, he did not confirm or deny that he had an intimate relationship with a staff member.<\/p>\n \u201cMy personal relationships have never violated the integrity rules,\u201d Scott wrote, adding: \u201cCertain family and court matters that you\u2019re referring to and asking about remain before legal processes, and I will not compromise those proceedings, or the privacy of my children by litigating them through the media at this time.\u201d<\/p>\n He also said he sympathizes with\u00a0the frustration of Sault residents who are upset by what\u2019s transpired since the election.<\/p>\n \u201cI can understand why constituents are angry that the riding no longer has a member sitting in the government caucus,\u201d Scott wrote. \u201cI regret this disruption more than anyone else. My removal exclusively followed allegations that I deny and that remain before the courts. Because those matters are ongoing, it would be inappropriate to comment further on their substance.\u201d<\/p>\n Asked about his current living arrangements, Scott said he leases a residence in the Sault \u201cthat I pay for out of my own pocket.\u201d Like all MPPs whose riding is more than 50 kilometres from Queen\u2019s Park, he also has a residence in Toronto funded by tax dollars, via the Legislative Assembly of Ontario.<\/p>\n \u201cUntil this matter is resolved, my responsibility is to continue doing the job residents elected me to do,\u201d he said. \u201cMy office continues serving constituents every day, and I remain focused on advocating for the community\u2019s priorities\u2026. As I\u2019m sure you know, whether I am in Sault Ste. Marie or at Queen\u2019s Park, my work on behalf of the riding continues.\u201d<\/p>\n Scott\u2019s staff member did not respond to a request for comment sent to her work email address. At this time, SooToday is not publishing the woman\u2019s name.<\/p>\n Scott is hardly the first politician to come under scrutiny for an alleged workplace romance. In 2016, Liberal MP Hunter Tootoo resigned from Prime Minister Justin Trudeau\u2019s cabinet after confessing to a \u201cconsensual but inappropriate relationship\u201d<\/a> with a female staff member. More recently, Toronto Mayor John Tory abruptly stepped down<\/a> after admitting to a \u201cserious error in judgment\u201d: an intimate relationship with a much younger staffer.<\/p>\n On paper, however, there are no laws that prohibit consensual relationships between a Canadian politician and a staff member. Unlike in most workplaces, where a manager-subordinate romance must be disclosed to human resources, the political arena is a lot more grey.<\/p>\n \u201cThere are no consistent rules,\u201d said Robert Shepherd, a public policy professor at Carleton University who specializes in government ethics. \u201cIt is a question of morality, and as you know, morality rules tend to be very problematic.\u201d<\/p>\n Every Ontario MPP is bound by the Members\u2019 Integrity Act<\/a>, which sets strict disclosure rules aimed at avoiding conflicts of interest and other ethical pitfalls \u2014 such as politicians using their public office to financially benefit themselves, family or friends. Although the law makes no mention of workplace relationships, it does make clear that MPPs should \u201carrange their private affairs in a manner that promotes public confidence in the integrity of each member.\u201d<\/p>\n Shepherd said \u201cat the very least,\u201d an MPP should disclose an office romance to the provincial integrity commissioner. Section 28 of the Act specifically allows an MPP to request a confidential opinion from the commissioner.<\/p>\n \u201cI would say: \u2018Don\u2019t get in the relationship in the first place,\u2019\u201d Shepherd said. \u201cBut if you’re going to proceed, then a very concerted discussion would have to be had about that person\u2019s continued employment with the office. Any integrity commissioner would probably give that advice: that one or the other has to go from the office. And it\u2019s not really the elected official that can go.\u201d<\/p>\n Scott would not tell SooToday whether he disclosed a workplace relationship to the integrity commissioner. Juliet Kadzviti, a spokeswoman for the commissioner\u2019s office, said \u201cdue to the confidentiality provisions of the Act, the Office does not release information about these opinions, nor does it confirm whether they have been sought.\u201d<\/p>\n Ian Stedman is a professor of law and governance at York University who previously worked for the provincial integrity commissioner. He said in cases like this, the optics are just as important as the law \u2014 if not more important.<\/p>\n \u201cThis is not just a job,\u201d he said. \u201cIt is a calling. It\u2019s about service to the community.\u201d<\/p>\n Stedman said voters \u201chave a right to know\u201d the truth because Scott\u2019s private behaviour may have played a role in why the Sault suddenly lost its Ford government MPP. It also raises bigger questions about his judgment and moral compass, he said.<\/p>\n Raised in Kemptville, Ont., 50 kilometres south of Ottawa, Scott cut his political teeth working for ex-Sault MPP Ross Romano. He later joined Ford\u2019s office as a special adviser to the premier\u2019s chief of staff \u2014 a position he held from April 2023 until January 2025, when Ford tapped him to run as the Sault\u2019s provincial candidate.<\/p>\n Despite his links to Romano, Scott was a relative unknown when the local election campaign kicked off. But he pushed back hard against what he called \u201clazy\u201d attempts to label him a \u201cparachute\u201d candidate, citing his years of behind-the-scenes work for Sault constituents.<\/p>\n Locked in a tight race against the NDP\u2019s Lisa Vezeau-Allen, Scott\u2019s pitch to local voters was consistent: Ford is on the brink of winning another majority election, and the best choice for the Sault is an MPP from the winning side. Ford himself gave his former adviser a resounding endorsement<\/a> during a campaign stop at Algoma Steel: \u201cHe\u2019s a worker, this guy. He\u2019s gonna work his back off and represent the people of the Sault.\u201d<\/p>\n Romano, who acted as Scott\u2019s campaign manager, described him<\/a> as an \u201cexceptional father\u201d and \u201cincredible husband.\u201d During a SooToday video interview,<\/a> Scott went so far as to promise that even if he lost the election, he and his wife planned to stay and raise their kids in Sault Ste. Marie.<\/p>\n In another campaign interview<\/a>, Scott shared the story of how he legally changed his surname to \u201cvan Scott\u201d as a tribute to his wife, who immigrated to Canada from the Netherlands as a teenager. \u201cWe made a commitment together to honour her past and what we\u2019re building together,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n The MPP\u2019s full legal name is Christopher Allen Winfield van Scott, as listed on his charge sheet. But he still refers to himself as Chris Scott, the name that was featured on his blue-and-white campaign signs.<\/p>\n Scott ended up winning the tightest Sault election race<\/a> in more than a century, collecting 13,071 votes \u2014 only 114 more<\/a> than Vezeau-Allen (12,957). At the victory party<\/a>, Coline van Scott and the couple\u2019s three children joined him on stage as he thanked volunteers, voters and \u201cmy wife and my in-laws for covering the bedtime stories and the bathtime routines for the last month.\u201d<\/p>\n Seven months after that speech, Scott spent a night behind bars in Toronto. He had driven to the city the day after the alleged assault and was arrested by Toronto police at the request of Sault investigators.<\/p>\n The news broke the next morning, Sept. 22, when the premier\u2019s office released a terse one-sentence statement: \u201cMPP Chris Scott is no longer a member of the PC caucus.\u201d<\/p>\n In the months since, Scott\u2019s social media feeds have become a collection of rare and random photo-ops \u2014 including him serving customers<\/a> at a McDonald\u2019s drive-thru, grinning over an Aurora\u2019s panzerotti<\/a> (or a Burger Don special<\/a>) and having an \u201cinsightful meeting\u201d<\/a> with a local landlord. The email listed on Scott\u2019s Facebook page<\/a> is still his former PC address, which hasn\u2019t been active for months.<\/p>\n Scott’s Facebook page did feature multiple posts on May 22, the day Ford travelled to the Sault for a major funding announcement<\/a> at Tenaris. Though now a party outcast, Scott made sure to cheer his old boss from the virtual sidelines: \u201cThank you Premier Ford for standing shoulder to shoulder with our steel sector.\u201d<\/p>\n![\"chrisscottindiana\"](\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ca\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/07\/chrisscottindiana.jpg;w=960.jpeg\"\/)
\nDays before he was criminally charged with assaulting his wife, Sault MPP Chris Scott attended a conference in South Bend, Indiana. Source: Chris Scott’s Facebook page
<\/p>\n![\"chris-scott-scrum-oct-21\"](\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ca\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/07\/chris-scott-scrum-oct-21.jpg;w=960.jpeg\"\/)
\nIndependent MPP Chris Scott is scrummed by reporters at Queen’s Park Oct. 21, 2025, the first day he returned to the Ontario Legislature after being charged in a domestic violence incident. Steve Cornwell\/The Trillium
<\/p>\n![\"chris-scott\"](\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ca\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/07\/chris-scott.jpeg;w=960.jpeg\"\/)
\nA former staffer in Premier Doug Ford’s office, Chris Scott was handpicked by Ford to be the Sault’s PC candidate in the 2025 Ontario election. Source: Chris Scott Facebook page
<\/p>\n![\"scotthounds\"](\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ca\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/07\/scotthounds.jpeg;w=960.jpeg\"\/)
\nSault MPP Chris Scott attended the Soo Greyhounds’ opening night block party on Sept. 19, 2025, the same day he is accused of assaulting his spouse. Source: Chris Scott’s Facebook page
<\/p>\n![\"scottmcdonalds\"](\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ca\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/07\/scottmcdonalds.jpg;w=960.jpeg\"\/)
\nSault MPP Chris Scott serves a customer at a Sault Ste. Marie McDonald’s drive-thru on McHappy Day, May 6, 2026. Source: Chris Scott’s Facebook page
<\/p>\n