Joshua Auld pleaded guilty to two counts of robbery and one count of assault causing bodily harm.
The Crown sought a 10-year global sentence, while the defence proposed five years.
The court considered aggravating factors, including the use of a handgun and planning, and significant mitigating factors such as Mr. Auld's guilty plea, mental health issues, substance abuse recovery, challenging personal history rooted in systemic anti-Black racism, and onerous bail conditions.
Applying the principle of totality and considering the impact of anti-Black racism on moral culpability and rehabilitation potential, the court found a six-year and three-month aggregate sentence unduly harsh.
A global sentence of five years was imposed, with specific terms for each count and credit for pre-sentence custody.