Following the dismal debut of its ABC simulcast of The One, CBC has announced that a Canadian version of the reality singing contest, originally slated to launch late this year, will not make it to air at least until early 2007, if at all.

‘I’ve ruled out 2006,’ says CBC spokesman Jeff Keay, who adds that the project ‘remain[s] in development.’

The U.S. series was cancelled July 28, less than two weeks after its debut.

But Keay remains cautiously optimistic.

‘[In other parts of the world] the franchise has been very successful,’ he says. ‘But you have to weigh that against the fact that it didn’t seem to have been as successful with the most recent ABC project. These are all things that you look at.’