RCMP cruisers parked in front of Portapique Beach Road during the NS mass shooting that claimed 22 lives in April 2020.

We won’t see the final report looking into the Nova Scotia mass shooting this year.

The Mass Casualty Commission provided an update on Friday announcing its request for more time has been approved by both the provincial and federal governments.

The report on the public inquiry’s findings into the tragedy that took the lives of 22 Nova Scotians in April 2020 was originally slated for November 1st.

“The additional time will allow us to complete the final report, which will be substantial, with the care and attention it deserves,” the commissioners’ update states. “We have said that we want to ensure this process is thorough and the report and its recommendations are beneficial to all Canadians and will help to improve community safety across our country.”

On April 18th, 2020, the gunman disguised as a police officer driving a mock RCMP cruiser went on a 13-hour shooting rampage before he was killed outside an Enfield gas station.

The public inquiry has been tasked with looking into the circumstances surrounding the mass shooting, the police response, and the public release of information. It’s also examining the gunman’s access to firearms and the role of gender-based and intimate partner violence.

The commission cites several reasons for the move to delay the final report, including a large volume of material to work through and delays stemming from COVID-19.

“Many of the tens of thousands of documents received through disclosure were disorganized, without clear labelling and received on a rolling basis,” the statement says. “The pace, unpredictability and volume of document disclosure severely affected the Commission’s ability to meet timelines and progress our work in a timely way.”

The report is now due by March 31st, 2023. The commissioners say there will be no increased costs due to the extended deadline.

Figures released in May pegged the cost of the inquiry at nearly $26 million by March 31st.

The Commission is still on track to complete public proceedings by the end of September as planned. Next week the third and final phase of the inquiry will begin, focused on developing recommendations for the future.