B.C. money laundering inquiry will release final report on Wednesday after hearing from 199 witnesses

The final report and recommendations of British Columbia's public inquiry into money laundering are scheduled to be released Wednesday.

The B.C. government says in a statement the Cullen Commission's entire report is being released publicly after testimony from 199 witnesses during a sitting of 133 days.

The government says former B.C. Supreme Court Justice Austin Cullen will be available to provide an overview of the report and respond to media questions in person and via teleconference.

The government received the report last Friday and said the more-than-1,800-page document would be reviewed before its release.

'The culmination of 3 years'

Premier John Horgan appointed Cullen in May 2019 to lead the inquiry after several reports determined billions of dollars linked to organized crime and the drug trade had affected B.C.'s gaming sector and the real estate and luxury vehicle markets.

The commission's mandate was to make findings of fact, determine the growth and methods of money laundering and find out if regulatory agencies or individuals contributed to the problem or amounted to corruption in the province.

"My final report is the culmination of three years of dedication and commitment to this important task by the commission team,'' Cullen said in a written statement last Friday.

"It is a substantial report and puts forward findings of fact and recommendations that are focused on making positive changes in many areas, addressing serious issues that the people of British Columbia care about.''