BC Trans Woman Turned Herself in to Police After Sex Reassignment Clinic Fire

Police have arrested the trans woman accused of starting a fire at one of Canada's only sex reassignment clinics last month. Jayne Ellen Heideck, 42, turned herself in to Kelowna RCMP earlier this week and is now being transferred to Montreal.

Heideck had undergone sex reassignment surgery at the Centre Métropolitain de Chirurgie, where a blaze caused $700,000 damage on May 2. Heideck faces charges for breaking and entering and arson causing danger to human life.

The clinic specializes in sex reassignment or gender-affirming surgeries including vaginoplasty, phalloplasty, breast augmentation and breast removal. It's the only clinic of its kind in Canada that accepts government health insurance.

Police originally investigated the incident as a possible hate crime, but dropped that pursuit a few weeks later when Heideck was announced as suspect. At the time, Trans Alliance Society chair Morgane Oger told media Heideck was unhappy with the results of her operation and may be experiencing mental health issues.

"Jayne expressed strong dissatisfaction," Oger told the told the National Post, "however, I am not aware of any negative surgical outcomes."

Media reports say repairs at the clinic are still underway, but some surgeries are continuing on schedule.

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