New Year鈥檚 Eve will look much different this year on CBC-TV.

Canada鈥檚 public broadcaster told The Canadian Press on Friday (Dec. 29) that 鈥渇inancial pressures鈥� have led the network to cancel this year鈥檚 countdown, which inched towards midnight with musical performances and a fireworks show.

This year, CBC plans to air a new 鈥淛ust For Laughs鈥� special hosted by comedian Mae Martin on Sunday at 11 p.m. in most markets. The hour-long taped show will not include a countdown.

It will befollowed at midnight by episodes of 鈥淐omedy Night with Rick Mercer鈥� as the new year rolls in. The programs also stream on CBC Gem.

It鈥檚 a notable change for CBC, which has long been a reliable stop for viewers on the momentous night.

For more than two decades, the Royal Canadian Air Farce hosted a New Year鈥檚 Eve special until it was cancelled in 2019.

A representative for CBC said the broadcaster first began producing a live countdown special in 2017, kicking off a new tradition to mark Canada鈥檚 sesquicentennial year.

The program swept across the country鈥檚 time zones to feature musical performers on the ground in key cities. Mercer was a focal point many of those years as the night鈥檚 emcee.

鈥淪ince that time, this live special format has become increasingly expensive to produce,鈥� said CBC spokesperson Kerry Kelly in an email.

Homegrown New Year鈥檚 Eve specials have been hard to come by in recent years.

This year, Citytv will continue to air U.S.-produced 鈥淒ick Clark鈥檚 New Year鈥檚 Rockin鈥� Eve with Ryan Seacrest,鈥� after whittling down its local New Year鈥檚 programming a decade ago.

Global TV, which for some years broadcast live from Niagara Falls, Ont., has planned to run a repeat of its political conversation show 鈥淭he West Block,鈥� after the local news, to ring in 2024.

CTV will repeat the entertainment news magazine special 鈥渆talk Presents: A Toast to 2023鈥� in some markets and classic TV shows in others.

At least one local station has taken to producing its own program this year.

Hamilton鈥檚 CHCH-TV, which is available over much of Ontario, will bring back its New Year鈥檚 Eve special with a countdown hosted by former MuchMusic VJ Rick Campanelli, with appearances by performers that include July Talk and U.S. Girls.

David Friend, The Canadian Press