The mandate of the commission looking into corruption in Quebec's construction industry is being extended by 18 months.

The deadline for the final report will be April 2015, Justice Minister Bertrand St-Arnaud told a news conference in Quebec City.

Originally, the deadline for commission president France Charbonneau to table the report was October 2013.

Charbonneau asked for the extension two weeks ago, partly because the commission has been beset by staffing issues and is running way behind schedule in terms of hearing witnesses.
 

''It always struck us as essential that the Charbonneau Commission....be able to get to the bottom of things,'' St-Arnaud said.

''Eighteen months is very long, but the commission says it is necessary to shed (the appropriate) light.''

St-Arnaud said the government wants to see an interim report by the end of January 2014.

If the final report is tabled in April 2015, the commission's work will have lasted 42 months.