Sonya Larson has been sentenced to 12 months in jail, plus two years of probation and 60 hours of community service, for setting fire to a restaurant in Bayfield, Ont. that was owned by her son. Flames tore through The Hub on the Docks on Oct. 17, 2023. Damage to the building was extensive. The loss was estimated at $1.2 million. Larson, 62, was arrested in September 2024 and charged with break and enter, arson and possession of incendiary material. Court heard Larson also set other fires in the days leading up to the final incident. Surveillance footage from Oct. 13, 2023 showed her entering the closed restaurant and, using paper from the garbage, started fires in two areas. The flames went out on their own. Three days later, Larson was seen on surveillance video entering the closed restaurant and disabling the alarm system. She allegedly lit a fire in the men’s bathroom, but it too went out on its own. On Oct. 17, 2023, Larson was caught on camera again. It showed the 62-year-old entering the closed restaurant and, once again, disabling the alarm system. Larson was seen carrying a cardboard box and a flashlight, then walking through the dining area to the kitchen. When she left a short time later, heavy smoke was then seen wafting into the room. The Ontario Fire Marshal’s Office determined the fire was intentionally set and identified two points of origin. Larson pleaded guilty to one count of arson on May 4, 2026. She has shared very few details about her motive. In sentencing submissions, Larson said she was in a “dark place” in October 2023 and didn’t remember setting the fire. “I had a breaking point,” she explained in a police interview. The Hub on the Docks never reopened after the fire. Larson’s sentencing was originally scheduled for Aug. 12 but was delayed so the court could obtain a victim impact statement from her son, Kevin Larson. He sent the following message to CTV News on Aug. 12: “This fire in Bayfield has caused significant hardship, both financial and emotional. Our entire family stands with her, offering our full love and support during this trying situation.” Kevin Larson has not been implicated or accused of any involvement in the fire, according to the court’s agreed statement of facts. This is a breaking news story and will be updated. With reporting from Jeff Pickel.
