The pilot should have his license yanked for a while, for:
- blowing junk around, which could hurt someone or at least damage property like cars (media I read say much stuff was blown around)
- flying a single-engine helicopter low over populated area
As for whether or not landing was ‘illegal’, I recommend pontificators look into minimum altitudes in Canada. Probably varying with location, obviously out of densely populated areas helicopters do it as part of their work. The number 500 feet AGL comes to my faded memory from Canada and US.
Typically pads at hospitals and in city are licensed heliports, such as:
- beside hospital on Salt Spring Island
- beside Victoria General Hospital in Saanich
- Camel Point heliport in Victoria BC (where Helijet commuter flights land).
Those may have somewhat lower minima than elsewhere, I know the pad beside SSI hospital has guidance/obstruction lights (trees in one direction), I forget VGH though the hospital building will be lit and I presume the new shopping centre across the street is lit - I know there is a sign prohibiting tall vehicles from the driveway between helipad and hospital when a helicopter is nearby. Camel Point approach may be from over the harbour as there are houses across the street.
All those can be looked up, Helijet produces the approach plates with approval from NavCanada/TransportCanada.