Inquiry into Nova Scotia mass shooting to release final report on March 30

The public inquiry that investigated the 2020 mass shooting in Nova Scotia announced today it will release its final report on March 30.

The Mass Casualty Commission issued a statement saying the report will provide a detailed account of what happened as well as recommendations to improve community safety across Canada.

Among other things, the report will examine the police response, access to firearms, gender-based violence, the killer's prior interactions with police and the steps taken to inform and support those affected by the murders.

The inquiry heard that on the night of April 18, 2020, a man disguised as a Mountie killed 13 people in Portapique, N.S., then evaded the RCMP and resumed his murders the next day as he drove a replica RCMP cruiser across northern and central Nova Scotia.

In all, 22 people were shot to death during the 13-hour rampage, which ended when the gunman was fatally shot by two RCMP officers at a gas station north of Halifax.

The independent commission of inquiry opened the public portion of its proceedings one year ago today.

The inquiry's work included 76 days of public hearings, during which the commission released 31 so-called foundational documents and more than 7,000 exhibits and source materials.

The inquiry heard from 230 witnesses as part of its investigation, including about 80 members of the RCMP and 60 of those witnesses testified at the public proceedings, half of whom were RCMP members.

"In the final stages of our mandate, the commission has worked to review and analyze the significant amount of information we learned through the course of our work," investigations director Barbara McLean said in a statement.