LAKE LOUISE – A man a court was told had mental health challenges will be under house arrest for part of his conditional sentence for lighting a fire that completely destroyed a Lake Louise ski resort staff accommodation apartment in summer 2023, leaving 175 people homeless.
In Calgary’s Alberta Court of Justice on Aug. 28, Timothy Alexander Peterson, 41, was given a two-year conditional sentence to be followed by three years of probation on the arson charge, while a charge of possession of a weapon dangerous to the public was withdrawn.
A lengthy list of conditions ordered by Justice A.A. Fradsham last week includes that Peterson is under house arrest for the first eight months, meaning he has to stay in his home 24 hours per day, seven days a week.
After the house arrest ends, he will be subject to a curfew from 10 p.m. to 6 a.m. seven days a week for another eight months. He won’t be bound by house arrest or a curfew in the final eight-month term of the two-year conditional sentence.
There are exceptions to the house arrest where he can leave his home for work, educational or training programs, medical care, family emergencies and shopping for a maximum of six hours per week for the “necessities of life.”
“You are not to possess any matches, lighters or other devices used to start fires,” states one of the court’s conditions imposed on Peterson.
“You are prohibited from owning, having in your possession, or carrying a weapon, including knives, except those for preparing or eating food. Work tools, while you’re at work, are a permitted exception to this ban.”
On July 3, 2023, Lake Louise RCMP received several reports of a fire at the Charleston residence in the hamlet of Lake Louise.
Firefighters from across the Bow Valley battled the blaze, which left about 175 people homeless, mostly employees of Lake Louise Ski Resort and Summer Gondola.
The fire in the three-storey log building took several hours for firefighters to bring under control. Known locally as Chucktown, the building was quickly evacuated by emergency services personnel.
Along with Banff, Canmore and Lake Louise fire departments, a Parks Canada initial attack crew and helicopter were on site to ensure the structure fire didn’t spread to the nearby forest during tinder dry conditions.
When RCMP arrived at the scene, police officers found a man on the roof of the Charleston, who they said “appeared to be in distress” and who had a weapon.
Multiple residents told the Outlook that Peterson had been wielding a knife, attempting to stab people.
Police officers de-escalated the situation and convinced Peterson to come down a ladder, however, RCMP said he slipped and fell to the ground, resulting in non-life threatening injuries.
Peterson was taken to a Calgary hospital by ground ambulance for treatment.
Under the court-imposed conditions of his sentence, Peterson is not allowed to be within the geographical boundaries of the hamlet of Lake Louise, other than to pass through if he is travelling on the Trans-Canada Highway.
Dan Markham, communications director for Lake Louise Ski Resort and Summer Gondola, responded to the sentence.
“Given the impact the fire had on the 175 residents who lost their home and all of their belongings, not to mention the potential for lost lives, those residents might consider the sentence ‘light’,” he said.
“Moving forward, we are looking to the coming seasons and providing a new home for future Lake Louise employees.”
Construction has started on a new building to replace the burned Charleston residence on Village Road.
Markham said the modular building is being built by MODUS in a local Alberta factory in Crossfield and will be delivered to the site this fall, then finished on site.
He said there will be 84 beds in the building.
“It is apartment style, so four to five rooms in one apartment, shared kitchen, living area, two-three bathrooms per apartment,” Markham said.
“The construction is tracking for occupancy in spring 2025.”
During court proceedings in August 2023, Justice Sean Dunnigan ordered Peterson to undergo a 30-day not criminally responsible (NCR) after his lawyer, Susan Karpa, had asked for an assessment on account of mental health concerns.
Previously known as the insanity defence, an NCR requires proving an individual is incapable of appreciating what they are doing or is incapable of understanding what they are doing is wrong because of a mental health disorder.
Under the conditions of his sentence, Peterson is not allowed to possess alcohol or drugs or go to bars or places where alcohol is served.
He has to attend whatever assessment, counselling or treatment his supervisor tells him to take, which may include psychiatric or psychological, alcohol, and drug abuse treatment.
“You will not possess or consume alcohol or other intoxicating substances,” states the court order. “You will not possess or consume drugs except in accordance with medical prescription in your name.”
Karpa was not immediately available for comment.
