Citynow Arsonist‘wantedtoteachsomebodyalesson’

cnaylor@burnabynow

com

A homeless man who set fire to two Burnaby restaurants –one of them twice – was “frustrated” and “overwhelmed” and wanted to “teach somebody a lesson,” according to information presented at his sentencing hearing

Steven Sean Sorenson, 49, was inVancouver Supreme Court lastThursday (Jan. 26) to be sentenced for three acts of arson in 2020.

A jury found him guilty in November of setting fire to popular Korean restaurant Jang Mo Jib (5075 Kingsway) and Sushi Oyama (5152 Kingsway) on April 11, 2020.

He had already pleaded guilty to another arson at Sushi Oyama on Nov 6, 2020

A new surveillance system installed after the first fire caught Sorenson on video shortly after midnight on Nov 6, 2020 carrying a cardboard box up the stairs to Sushi Oyama’s patio doors, according to information presented in court by Crown prosecutor Phillip Sebellin

The video shows Sorenson place the box near the doors and bend over it, Sebellin said.

Shortly after, the video shows the box in flames that eventually reach up to the roof

“If not for the sprinkler sys- tem, the restaurant could have sustained catastrophic damage,” Sebellin said

Combined, the three fires wreaked $571,234 in loss and damages, $10,000 of which Sushi Oyama had to pay out of pocket in the form of insurance deductibles, according to Sebellin

He said it was “concerning” that Sorenson’s reasons for set- ting the two restaurants on fire are unknown

“Why he went back the second time to Sushi Oyama is also concerning,” Sebellin said

A pre-sentencing report provides the only clues to Sorenson’s motives

“He was homeless, frustrated, overwhelmed,” Sebellin said, citing a section of the report. “He indicates he did not know how to cope with his circumstances and wanted to teach somebody a lesson He recognizes his actions were extreme ” The targets of the arsons, which occurred during the first and second waves of the COVID-19 pandemic in B C , were both Asian restaurants, but Sebellin said there was no evidence to indicate the offences were motivated by hate

Sebellin said Sorenson, who has been in custody since Jan 5, 2021, should be sentenced to two years in jail, after time-anda-half credit for time served, and three years of probation

He argued the arsons were planned and deliberate, did “extensive” damage to the restaurants and were dangerous.

“The restaurants were not occupied at the time of these fires, but how would Mr Sorenson know that?” Sebellin said.

Sorenson, who is representing himself, asked for the sentencing to be adjourned because he didn’t get the Crown’s sentencing materials until the day before the hearing last week

His next court date is set for April 21

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The capital plan is $291.4 million, allocated to major civic projects, including the Burnaby Lake Aquatic and Arena Facility, the replacement of Fire Station 4, the construction of the new Fire Station 8 on Burnaby Mountain and development of non-market housing sites, according to the staff report.

The financial plan states this year’s tax increase is lower than infla-

From 2024 to 2027, the city plans to increase property taxes by about seven per cent per year, to account for “the operations of new or expanded facilities ”

The city is seeking public feedback on its financial plan until Feb. 10.

Coun Richard Lee, whose centrist OneBurnaby party ran on freezing taxes, voted against the budget plan at a council meeting on Jan 23 He was the lone councillor opposed

He said Burnaby residents have seen the cost of living “increased substantially”

“This is an opportunity for the city to freeze the tax for one year, so that the residents can have less (of a) burden,” Lee said.

Later in the meeting, he tried to introduce a motion to freeze the property tax increase to 0 per cent, suggesting the city decrease its “contribution to capital ”

The motion wasn’t seconded and failed to continue to a vote

Other councillors said the tax increase was needed and had already been lowered from what was originally discussed.

Burnaby Citizens Association Coun Pietro Calendino said staff worked hard to bring the rate down to 3 99 per cent, when it was “orig- inally much higher than that ”

“Cities are not spared from the pain of inflation,” Calendino said to council

“Had it not been for contributions from our reserves, Burnaby residents would see a tax increase of 12 per cent,” BCA Coun.

Alison Gu said Burnaby’s capital projects include: pedestrian overpass across Highway 1 ($18 9 million) customer service centre ($593,600)

BC Parkway lighting ($4 million) active transportation, cycling network and sidewalks ($30 89 million)

Fire Station 4 replacement ($23 million)

Fire Station 8 on Burnaby Mountain ($24 5 million)

Burnaby Lake Aquatic and Arena ($195 million) covered sports boxes at Riverway and Confederation Park ($10 million)