BURST
Hon Chan, the member of the legislature for Richmond Centre, has pleaded not guilty to domestic violence charges and has elected to have his trial heard by a judge and jury.
Chan, who faces criminal charges for offences that police allege happened over two years ago, also waived his right to a preliminary hearing in provincial court in Richmond, according to B.C. Prosecution Service spokeswoman Damienne Darby.
That allows his case to proceed directly to trial in B.C. Supreme Court, she said in an email.
Chan was charged in March with three counts of intimate partner violence, assault, choking and uttering threats, according to prosecutors. None of the charges have been proven in court.
Police allege the assault happened on Jan. 12, 2024, in Richmond, almost nine months before the 2024 provincial election.
Chan’s next court appearance to set a date in the trial process is set for Sept. 16.
Chan, who is now an Independent MLA, was removed from the B.C. Conservative Party’s caucus after the charges became public in March. A party spokesman said at the time neither the party nor the caucus had known about the allegations.
Vancouver lawyer Andi MacKay was appointed special prosecutor to consider charges in the case in June 2025, to avoid any potential for real or perceived improper handling of the case involving an elected official.
Before being elected, Chan worked for Fairchild TV for 15 years as a news anchor, assignment editor and talk show host.
Until his expulsion from caucus, he had been the Conservative’s critic for ICBC, TransLink, transit, and climate solutions.