Does a single past incident of violence automatically bar a parent from decision-making responsibility?

No — a single past incident doesn't automatically disqualify a parent from having decision-making responsibility. Ontario courts apply the best-interests-of-the-child test, which considers family violence as one of several factors rather than an automatic bar, looking at things like how long ago the incident occurred, whether it was part of a broader pattern or an isolated event, what the parent has done since, and how the incident actually affects the child's safety and the parents' ability to communicate and co-parent going forward.

A single serious incident can still carry significant weight, particularly if it directly involved the child or shows a serious risk that hasn't been addressed, but courts are generally cautious about treating any one factor as automatically decisive in what's meant to be a holistic assessment. This means outcomes vary widely based on the specific facts. Anyone facing this kind of allegation, on either side, should focus on presenting the full context rather than assuming one incident settles the outcome either way.