Hon Chan is scheduled to appear in Richmond provincial court on April 22.Supplied
Hon Chan, the Conservative MLA for Richmond Centre, has been removed from caucus, effective immediately, after being charged with assault.
Trevor Halford, interim leader of the Conservative Party of B.C., said Mr. Chan informed him Wednesday of serious criminal charges against him, of which the party had no prior knowledge.
“Our caucus wishes to be clear, any allegations of domestic violence are taken seriously,” Mr. Halford said in a statement issued Thursday. “Anyone who experiences it deserves to know that people in positions of public trust will be held to the highest standard of accountability.”
The BC Prosecution Service said Thursday that Mr. Chan was charged Wednesday with assault, assault by choking and uttering threats. The offences are alleged to have occurred on Jan. 12, 2024, in Richmond. The allegations have not been tested in court.
The service designated Mr. Chan’s case as a “K” file, which indicates an allegation of intimate partner violence or domestic assault.
On Thursday, Mr. Chan said in a text message from his phone number, that he was “made aware of a claim relating to an allegation” from about two-and-a-half years ago.
“He disagrees with the allegation and looks forward to defending himself through the legal process.
“He will continue to cooperate fully with the police and the court process.”
Mr. Chan is scheduled to appear in Richmond provincial court on April 22.
Andi MacKay, a senior Vancouver lawyer in private practice, was appointed June 27, 2025, as a special prosecutor in the investigation.
Such appointments are intended to avoid any potential for real or perceived improper influence in the administration of justice considering the nature of the allegations and the identity of the accused as an elected official, the prosecution service said in a statement.
Grace Lore, the NDP MLA for Victoria-Beacon and an anti-violence advocate, said removing Mr. Chan from caucus is an important first step but not nearly enough.
She said she is disappointed that Mr. Halford did not call for Mr. Chan’s resignation, and said the B.C. Conservatives should state clearly that Mr. Chan will not be an MLA or candidate for the party in the future.
“I think that what we’ve got here is extremely serious: a case where charges are laid for violence involving an MLA, involving an incident that happened two years ago,” Ms. Lore told reporters in Victoria on Thursday.
“He did not disclose to his leader, to the party, to the people of Richmond, and that is a very major violation of the public trust.”
Jeremy Valeriote, the Green MLA for West Vancouver-Sea to Sky, similarly called for Mr. Chan’s resignation.
“Should he refuse to resign, he owes the public an explanation on how he intends to fulfill his duties with these serious charges hanging over him,” Mr. Valeriote said in a statement.