In March, a man was arrested after a fire was sparked at the Nesters Market in Gastown, in an area of the neighbourhood that had already been impacted by crime, notably the closure of London Drugs.
After the March arson incident, the Nesters Market location was closed for weeks.
Police shared that at around 5:30 p.m. on March 31, 2026, a man walked into the Nesters Market at 333 Abbott St. in Gastown and lit a fire.
Thankfully, no one was injured, but fire, smoke and water had caused extensive damage.
Now, the man behind the arson has been sentenced, and the president of the Pattison Food Group (PFG) has released a statement in response.
“We are profoundly disappointed with the sentence imposed in the case of the person who admitted to deliberately setting a fire inside our Nesters Market store in Vancouver’s Downtown Eastside on March 30, 2026,” said PFG President Jamie Nelson.
The sentence, as Global News reports, is a two-year conditional sentence, plus two years of probation. The man behind the arson, 50-year-old Victor Atkinson, was originally charged with arson to inhabited property, but pleaded guilty to lesser charges.
“This was not a shoplifting incident that escalated unexpectedly. The offender intentionally started a fire to create a distraction for theft. At the time, dozens of customers and team members were inside the store, with hundreds more residents living in the apartments above. The Crown described the risk to the public as ‘extreme’ and noted the potential for catastrophic loss of life,” said Nelson.
“Fortunately, no one was injured, due in large part to the quick actions of our team members and sheer luck.”
Nelson pointed out that the fire caused over $500,000 in damage, closing the only full-service grocery store serving the Downtown Eastside. He also pointed out that the offender had around 200 interactions with police and 14 prior property crime convictions.
“While the Crown sought a two-year custodial sentence, he ultimately received a two-year conditional sentence to be served in the community after spending less than five months in pre-trial custody.”
This will likely ruffle the feathers of B.C. residents, who have raised a stink at the provincial government for letting repeat offenders out easily.
“To be frank, operating this store is challenging given the level of crime in the neighbourhood. Nevertheless, we remain committed to serving this community because we recognize the important role we play within it. Unfortunately, this sentence not only appeared to downplay the severity of the offence, but also overlooked the reality facing businesses that continue to invest in and support communities despite the considerable challenges involved,” Nelson said.
He concluded his statement by saying that when serious crimes place workers, customers and the public at risk, the response should reflect the gravity of those actions and “reinforce public confidence in the justice system.”