Edmonton police have laid multiple charges against a man police say is involved in a series of arsons at residential construction sites in south-central Edmonton. (CBC – image credit)
Edmonton police have laid multiple charges against a man police say was involved in a series of arsons at residential construction sites in south-central Edmonton.
Peter Jones, 40, was charged on May 27 with 27 offences including five counts of arson with disregard for human life, five counts of break and enter to commit arson, five counts of possession of property obtained by crime and four counts of trafficking in property obtained by crime.
In a news release Wednesday, Edmonton Police Service said between October and November 2025, officers began investigating a pattern of suspicious fires at newly constructed homes in established neighbourhoods.
In total, five properties under construction were deliberately set on fire, police said. No injuries were reported but they resulted in emergency evacuations and property damage beyond the initial sites.
Following an “extensive and co-ordinated” investigation, Jones was identified as the suspect, EPS said in the news release.
Police say on Nov. 13, 2025, Jones was on parole and was arrested for a parole violation. His parole was then revoked and he remained in custody while investigators continued looking into the alleged arsons.
“Arson causes serious risk, particularly in residential areas, where fires can spread rapidly and place both responding personnel and the public in danger,” says Insp. Jonathan Morrison, with the EPS investigative support division in a new release.
“The EPS has a specialized team of investigators who work closely with Edmonton Fire Rescue Services to determine the cause of suspicious fires and identify those responsible.”
EPS said the arsons are not related to an investigation dubbed Project Gaslight
Between October 2023 and July 2025, police launched an investigation — Project Gaslight —which looked into a series of extortions targeting South Asian homebuilders in Edmonton.
Jones was already in custody when the charges were laid.