A second major resignation from the top of the Ontario Progressive Conservative Party in less than a week due to sexual assault allegations.

President Rick Dykstra announced Sunday night that he was stepping down, saying it was time to “take a step back for someone else to lead us through the hard work.”

Dykstra had been the party president since March 2016.

However, Maclean’s reports Dykstra’s resignation comes just hours after the magazine sent questions outlining allegations made by a young Conservative staffer back in 2014.

The alleged incident took place on Feb. 11, 2014, the night of the federal budget.

According to the Maclean’s report, the woman – who was in her 20s at the time of the incident, claims Dykstra jumped into her cab as she proceeded to go home and gave the driver his address. She admits in the article that the two were both drunk at the time.

The woman alleges Dykstra was “very insistent” they go upstairs and despite repeatedly refusing his advances, she relented.

“I was saying no, but I didn’t feel there was much that I could do to stop what was happening,” she tells Maclean’s.

She goes on to describe how Dykstra allegedly assaulted her in his bedroom before she managed to flee when he went to the bathroom.

A report was filed with Ottawa police, who launched an investigation but ultimately decided not to lay charges.

According to Maclean’s, the investigation was stopped at the request of the alleged victim.

A PC party source told CityNews it would not be issuing a statement or commenting on Dykstra’s decision until Monday.

Ottawa-area MPP Lisa MacLeod appeared to welcome Dykstra’s resignation Sunday night.

“This is good news for taking back our PC party,” MacLeod wrote on Twitter.

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Ontario PC Party President Rick Dykstra no stranger to controversy

Dykstra’s resignation follows a major staff shakeup at the party earlier Sunday, as well as the resignation of party leader Patrick Brown amid sexual misconduct allegations last week.

Two key members of the party who resigned after the allegations surfaced have now returned while multiple other positions are being slashed, according to a memo from one of the staffers that was obtained by the Canadian Press.

The party’s chief of staff, Alykhan Velshi, and director of communications, Nick Bergamini, were two of four key party members who announced their resignations minutes before CTV News aired graphic allegations against Brown on Wednesday night.

An email sent to party staff by Velshi on Sunday outlined his and Bergamini’s return to their previous positions, while also announcing that many high-level positions would be eliminated in a “reorganization” following the Brown debacle.

An executive director position, two deputy chief of staff positions, a party adviser position, and a number of junior and mid-level jobs are being eliminated.

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Dykstra’s statement in full reads:

“Since March 2016, I have been pleased to serve as president of the Ontario PC Party.

While volunteering for this role, I have watched the party grow in ways we have not seen in decades. We reached historic numbers. We attracted top-notch candidates to step forward to run. And we have watched momentum build up in every region of the province to defeat the Wynne Liberals in the election.

It has been a wonderful experience to watch the party’s renewal, and over the next couple of months we will see the party coalesce around a new Leader.

As this process unfolds, I have made the decision to step aside as President and take a step back for someone else to lead us through the hard work.

After two years in this position, I know the party is prepared to take on the hard work necessary to fight this election.

Sincerely,

Rick Dykstra”

Files from The Canadian Press were used in this report