By Bob Mackin, Local Journalism Initiative Reporter, Prince George Citizen

John Daniel MacBurnie

Probation for man who threatened to burn down former hotel

Mar 8, 2026 | 11:00 AM

PRINCE GEORGE — Time served and a year on probation was the sentence for a man who pleaded guilty Feb. 26 in Prince George Provincial Court to threatening to burn down the North Star Inn.

John Daniel MacBurnie, 44, was arrested Nov. 19, 2025 after breaching a release order to stay away from the supportive housing facility.

Court heard that a worker noticed him on-site and called Prince George RCMP.

“They told him that he wasn’t welcome, he wasn’t supposed to be there,” Crown prosecutor Kristina King told Judge Peter McDermick. “Mr. MacBurnie replied that he was not leaving until he spoke with Ms. Jackson and that he would light the location on fire if they called the police.”

Initially, after he was arrested, MacBurnie denied to police that he had been at the North Star.

John Daniel MacBurnie

Probation for man who threatened to burn down former hotel

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King said MacBurnie had six prior convictions for breaches and three for uttering threats. In one case, he was sentenced to 60 days in jail.

“These are employees at a supportive housing project, this is not simply a throwaway threat,” King said. “This is something that impacts their ability to do their jobs and their ability to do that without fear.”

McDermick agreed to the joint sentencing proposal for 45 days time served on the breach charge, concurrently with 150 days, time served, for the threat.

BC Housing bought the former hotel and operates it under HEARTH, the Homeless Encampment Action Response Temporary Housing program.