The quirky residents of Dog River will say goodbye next year, when Canada’s highest-rated comedy series Corner Gas comes to an end.

In a Thursday press release, Gas creator and star Brent Butt announced that the upcoming sixth season of the comedy will be its last, with the series finale set to air next spring. Production on the final 19 episodes begins May 15 in Regina and Rouleau, SK.

‘It’s a very difficult decision, but the right decision, and one I felt I had to make,’ commented Butt in a release. The star, who also serves as writer and exec producer, adds that CTV was ‘keen’ to do more episodes.

‘They didn’t want it to end yet. But for the good of the show, I wanted to exit gracefully, on top of our game, when we’re at our prime,’ Butt said.

The show, which premiered Jan. 22, 2004 to 1.1 million viewers, was a consistent ratings winner for CTV, garnering one million-plus viewers per ep. Gas has won six Gemini Awards, including best comedy series. It has sold to numerous other countries, including Australia, and airs in the U.S. on Superstation WGN. U.S. critics praised the series, with one calling it a ‘delightful Canadian comedy.’

Gas features a memorable cast of characters, including Butt as gas station owner Brent Leroy, Eric Peterson as his cranky father Oscar, and Janet Wright as his mother Emma. Gabrielle Miller, Fred Ewanuick, Lorne Cardinal, Tara Spencer-Nairn and Nancy Robertson also star.

‘This is not goodbye, it’s see you later,’ said CTV’s president of creative, content, and channels Susanne Boyce. ‘The series has paved the way for other Canadian productions by proving that if you make great TV, Canadians will watch.’

Butt will continue to develop projects for CTV and The Comedy Network when production wraps on the final season of Corner Gas. In a Friday interview on Canada AM, Butt said that there was some consideration being given to a feature-film version of the show, which is produced by Butt, David Storey and Virginia Thompson.