Kelowna pastor accused of historical sexual assaults in civil lawsuits, denies allegations

A prominent Kelowna, B.C., pastor is facing civil sexual assault allegations from two women who claim he groomed and abused them over several years, starting when they were teenagers more than two decades ago.

The allegations against Art Lucier, the leader of Harvest Ministries International, are detailed in two civil lawsuits filed in B.C. Supreme Court in late April.

Lucier and Harvest Ministries International have rejected the allegations in a joint written statement, calling them "slanderous" and "totally false."

The plaintiffs are two women who claim in court documents that Art Lucier, then a pastor at Kitimat Harvest Ministries, took advantage of his position of trust and authority to sexually exploit them starting in 2001 when they were youths living in foster care in Kitimat, B.C. 

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CBC News is not naming them due to the nature of the allegations and because they were minors at the time of the alleged sexual abuse.

Allegations span years

In the lawsuits, the plaintiffs claim Lucier approached them separately — one in a shopping mall parking lot when she was 11, the other while she was camping at age 14 — and invited them to attend his church.

According to the lawsuits, Lucier provided mentorship and emotional support to the plaintiffs, gradually eroding physical boundaries through touch and physical closeness — including massaging, hugs and physical roughhousing.

Both alleged victims are represented by Vancouver lawyer Morgyn Chandler, who spoke to CBC News in an interview.

"[Lucier] ultimately did engage in what we say are grooming type behaviours," she said. 

"You gain their trust through attention, sharing secrets and things like that to make them feel like they have this caring relationship, and then you begin to desensitize them to sexual topics and physical touch and it moves the relationship into another realm where we say the sexual abuse begins to occur."

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Both plaintiffs claim Lucier abused them through inappropriate sexual touching. One of the women alleges Lucier kissed her and asked her "to describe sexual encounters in lurid detail and sharing details of his own sex life," according to court documents.

One plaintiff alleges the abuse continued for eight years. The second claims it lasted 14 years, ending in 2015.

The alleged abuse over several years resulted in emotional injuries and challenges in personal relationships for both women, according to Chandler.

"There are significant mental health challenges, post traumatic stress disorder, anxiety, depression," Chandler said.

"There is a diminished ability to trust and form intimate relationships, or even friendships."

Lucier denies allegations

The allegations have not been tested in court, and Lucier has not filed a legal response.

However, he denied the claims in a written statement on the Harvest Ministries International website, attributed to Lucier and the organization's board of directors.

"We wish to make it very clear that we categorically deny these slanderous accusations. These allegations are completely and totally false," the statement reads.

"We look forward to the opportunity to present the truth in court, expose the lies, and shed light on the deception that has been associated with these false allegations."

Whistleblowers sparked action

Over the past year, former members of Lucier's congregations have publicly pressured the church to investigate claims of alleged sexual and spiritual abuse on social media and in an online petition. 

Chandler told CBC News her clients decided to come forward now in part because of this recent public scrutiny of Harvest Ministries and Lucier's leadership, but also because they had come to understand through counselling what the true nature of their relationships with Lucier was.

LISTEN | Lucier accused of sex assault by former congregation members: 

Daybreak South9:04A Kelowna pastor is facing sexual assault allegations from former members of his congregation

Kelowna pastor Art Lucier made headlines during the pandemic for defying public health orders and mounting court challenges against the government. Our reporter Brady Strachan has been speaking with the lawyer for two women -who say the abuse started when they were in their teens. 

Lucier stepped aside before lawsuits 

About a month before the lawsuits were filed, Harvest Ministries International announced that Lucier was stepping away from public ministry. A statement posted to the church's website in early April said an oversight committee had been investigating allegations against Lucier and would report its findings to the church's board.

Lucier addressed the matter in a sermon broadcast online in March, where he said he had sinned against God, his wife, and others — but did not reference any specific allegations.

"Though these sins were dealt with in a properly biblical manner with boards and leadership bringing counsel and discipline in proper measure, they were dealt with," Lucier said.

"The enemy is now bringing up actually though, these past sins even though they are under the blood."

Defiance during pandemic

Lucier rose to prominence during the COVID-19 pandemic for defying public health orders that restricted in-person church gatherings.

He was fined for continuing to hold services in Kelowna and launched an unsuccessful legal challenge against the provincial government.

In 2023, Lucier and Harvest Ministries International filed a constitutional challenge against the Quebec government after the province cancelled the group's planned faith-based event at the Quebec City Convention Centre, citing concerns the event was anti-abortion and conflicted with Quebec's fundamental principles

A three-day hearing for the case is scheduled for November in Quebec Superior Court.