After more than a year on leave from Penticton city council, James Miller will go on trial in December for historical sex crimes in Ontario.
There are 11 counts Miller is facing, which includes seven counts of sexual interference and three counts of invitation to sexual touching alongside one count of sexual assault on a person under the age of 16 that emerged from investigations into historical allegations.
The charges date back to a time when Miller was a youth basketball coach in Sarnia.
The trial coordinator in Sarnia, Ont. confirmed by email on Feb. 10 that Miller's trial is scheduled to take place in December following an appearance on Feb. 7.
"Mr. Miller鈥檚 trial was set to commence on the Dec 1, 2025 sittings which is 3 weeks in length and is #3 on that list," reads the information from the court.
The December date will mean that by the time the trial starts, Miller will have be on mandatory leave from Penticton city council for almost 17 months.
Miller was initially charged in August of 2024 with two counts of sexual interference and two counts of sexual assault on a person under the age of 16 following two separate historical sexual assault investigations in Sarnia.
In November, further charges were brought forward by the Sarnia Police Service, and he now faces 11 total counts, with seven counts of sexual interference and three counts of invitation to sexual touching alongside the sexual assault.
A by-election to fill a second empty seat on Penticton council, held formerly by Amelia Boultbee who was elected as MLA in October of 2024, is scheduled to take place on April 5 to fill the position until the next municipal election in October of 2026.
Miller declined to resign at the start of the year and sent a letter stating his intent to serve out the remainder of his term to the city after Mayor Julius Bloomfield approached him and other councillors to determine their plans given a federal election is scheduled for 2025.
The leave from city council is unpaid, and according to articles covering Miller's case in papers run by his employer the Okanagan Newspaper Group, he is also on administrative desk duties as managing editor of the Penticton Herald.
None of the charges against Miller have been proven in court.
