Three Nova Scotia youths on hockey team face sexual assault charges after hazing

HALIFAX — Three youths are facing sexual assault charges after Nova Scotia RCMP received a complaint about a hockey team’s hazing ritual last fall, prompting an investigation that is expected to lead to more arrests.

A provincial hockey governing body says it first learned about an allegation involving a minor on Jan. 30, when police say a youth reported being assaulted during a private team gathering in October.

Hockey Nova Scotia says it immediately referred the matter to the RCMP, which confirmed the allegations involve a boys’ hockey team in the Truro area, north of Halifax.

The provincial organization, which oversees 30 hockey associations, said a youth team in the Truro area has been suspended while the matter is under investigation.

Those involved are under the age of 18, RCMP Staff Sgt. Marc Rose said in an interview. He declined to be more specific, saying details about their identities are protected from publication under the Youth Criminal Justice Act.

He said officers with specialized training used a trauma‑informed approach as the investigation moved forward.

“Due to the age of the victims, we’re concerned about their well-being,” he said. “The goal is to help mitigate the harm in this situation. So if we can get people to come forward who are victims, we can at least get them help and get them the appropriate resources to deal with this trauma.”

The Mounties in Colchester County say they collected statements from multiple witnesses, which led to new allegations indicating other offences had occurred at different locations involving more victims and witnesses.

Investigators believe there may be other victims who have yet to come forward, including some who may live outside Colchester County.

“We want to identify additional people affected by these incidents,” said Rose, district commander in Colchester County. “We want to learn if there are more incidents, more criminal activity that needs to be investigated.”

Rose said the three accused were contacted by police and arrested Tuesday when they turned themselves in at the RCMP detachment in the village of Bible Hill, N.S., north of Truro. They have been released from custody and are expected to appear in court at a later date, he said.

The senior officer said survivors and other witnesses can speak with police without having to decide if they want to participate in the full investigation or the court process.

“We want the public to understand … we have victim services available for people in the community,” Rose said. “We have a lot of concern about harm in the community and we hope anyone affected by this will come forward and we’ll help them in the process.”

The three accused youths are each facing one charge of sexual assault with a weapon.

One of them is also facing charges of sexual assault and assault with a weapon, and another is facing one count of sexual assault and one charge of assault with choking.

Hockey Nova Scotia executive director Mike Field did not provide further details.

“As this process is ongoing, and to protect the privacy of those involved, we are unable to provide further details at this time,” Hockey Nova Scotia’s statement said. “The safety of our members and our community is our top priority.”

A recent report from Hockey Canada shows that of the 1,393 maltreatment complaints it received between July 2024 and June 2025, 119 were for physical abuse, 96 were for sexual maltreatment and 17 for hazing.

Hockey Canada says it defines sexual maltreatment as a broad term that covers physical or psychological maltreatment of a sexual nature, including social media harassment, sexually based comments, grooming and physical sexual maltreatment.

This report by The Canadian Press was first published Feb. 5, 2026.

Michael MacDonald, The Canadian Press