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TORONTO — A review into how Toronto police handle missing persons cases will take longer due to the “large task” involved, the judge leading the probe said.

Ontario Court of Appeal Justice Gloria Epstein told the Toronto Police Services Board that she now expects to finish around April 2020.

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The review, which was initially supposed to be completed in 2019, won’t look at the investigation into Bruce McArthur, who has been charged with eight counts of first-degree murder, but it will examine how police handled missing persons cases connected to the probe.

Despite the later date, Epstein stressed her commitment to the task.

“I chose to retire from the Court of Appeal to enable me to devote my time and my energy to this critical work,” Epstein said.

Epstein, who officially takes on the role as the review lead when she retires on Sept. 1, said she planned to hold consultations with the community early on to help shape her approach.