Nova Scotia·NewThe Municipality of Cumberland said it was shutting the Joggins fire department down after the charges were laid in October. Christopher St. Peter was facing three charges, including assault with a weaponLuke Ettinger · CBC News · Posted: Nov 24, 2025 5:25 PM EST | Last Updated: 1 hour agoListen to this articleEstimated 2 minutesThe audio version of this article is generated by text-to-speech, a technology based on artificial intelligence.All charges against the former chief of the Joggins Volunteer Fire Department were withdrawn in Amherst Provincial Court on Monday. (Robert Short/CBC)All charges against the former chief of the Joggins Volunteer Fire Department were withdrawn in Amherst Provincial Court on Monday. The Municipality of Cumberland said it was shutting the Joggins fire department down after the charges were laid against Christopher St. Peter, 25, in October. Last week, municipal staff outlined a more detailed list of concerns including “misconduct and poor judgment of leadership.” On Wednesday, Cumberland council is expected to debate whether to reinstate the department or uphold the staff recommendation that it be shut down. The municipality has said fire services in the Joggins area would be provided by the neighbouring River Hebert fire department, located approximately five kilometres away. St. Peter was facing three charges, including possession of a telescopic baton without a licence, assault with a weapon and possession of a weapon for a dangerous purpose.All three charges were withdrawn on Monday, and the conditions of a release order no longer apply.The Crown attorney didn’t have the information to make a proper assessment and had to withdraw the charges, a spokesperson for the Public Prosecution Service told CBC News. However the Crown has since been in contact with police and received new information. Prosecutors plan to review that information, but it’s ultimately up to the police whether the charges are relaid.Christopher St. Peter’s younger brother, Dylan St. Peter, faces one assault charge in connection to the same Oct. 11 incident in River Hebert, N.S. He is set to appear in court on Dec 1. Sources told CBC News the alleged victim is Dylan St. Peter’s ex-girlfriend. Dylan St. Peter, 22, is also set to go to trial in January in a separate case after pleading not guilty earlier this year to charges of sexual interference and sexual assault with a person under 16.The charges stem from an alleged incident in August 2024. The victim’s identity in that case is protected by a publication ban.MORE TOP STORIESABOUT THE AUTHORLuke Ettinger is a reporter with CBC Nova Scotia based in Truro. Reach him at luke.ettinger@cbc.ca.
Crown withdraws 3 charges against former Joggins fire chief
