Toronto city councillor Michael Thompson was found not guilty Tuesday of sexually assaulting two women during a 2022 Canada Day weekend at a Muskoka cottage on Acton Island, following an 11-month trial that moved through several Ontario courthouses.
Ontario Court Justice Philip Brissette delivered the verdict in Midland, ruling that the Crown had not proven its case beyond a reasonable doubt. Thompson, 65, had pleaded not guilty to two counts of sexual assault related to incidents at a cottage in Port Carling involving two women whose identities are protected by a publication ban.
One woman had alleged Thompson touched her inappropriately while applying sunscreen on the dock. The other said he forced her to perform a sexual act in the middle of the night. Both testified that alcohol and marijuana were present throughout the weekend.
Brissette said the complainants and a third female guest testified “in an open and forthright manner” but expressed concerns about their sobriety and ability to reliably recall events, particularly regarding timing, consent, and physical interactions.
“There are too many significant reliability concerns,” the judge said in his decision. He noted one complainant “admitted blackouts in key parts of the sexual assault allegation,” and found Thompson’s account of the events to be “fairly reliable” and unaffected by impairment.
While Thompson denied any sexual misconduct, he acknowledged applying sunscreen with permission and described a later encounter as consensual. Brissette said he believed Thompson’s “firm and clear denial” on the sunscreen allegation, but expressed reservations about some aspects of his testimony, including his claim that none of the women appeared intoxicated.
“I have a hard time accepting that he didn’t see any signs of intoxication,” Brissette said, referring to testimony that Thompson had purchased tequila and observed the women drinking wine after hours in the sun.
Outside court, Thompson said he was relieved. “I had to go through almost three years of hell,” he said. “I just want to get on with my life.”
Thompson also claimed the prosecution was politically motivated, stating, “There are forces, and I am aware as to who they are, who have created this condition and situation.”
Defence lawyer Leora Shemesh said she was “incredibly delighted with the verdict,” calling it “a long, very torturous process.” She added: “I’m glad that he can go home today and believe that the justice system does work and it does work well.”
Thompson has served as a city councillor since 2003 and represents Scarborough Centre (Ward 21). He was re-elected in 2022 after being charged. Asked whether he intends to run again, he said he has not decided.
The Crown had argued Thompson used his status as a public official — then serving as one of Toronto’s deputy mayors — to lure the guests under the guise of a networking opportunity. The defence denied that, characterizing the allegations as “a witch hunt” and suggesting the women’s testimonies were inconsistent and uncorroborated.
Mayor Olivia Chow issued a brief statement following the verdict, saying she “respects the court’s decision.”
