We are a collective of Canadian creative designers, marketing managers and online media buyers with a passion for web design.
MANDATE
To showcase good website design done for Canadian companies, or by Canadian designers. A while back we were looking for examples of good Canadian website design. As much as there are plenty of good examples out there, there wasn’t a good repository of it anywhere. So we started Canada’s Web50.ca with that in mind. An ever-expanding archive of great Canadian website design.
WHO IS THE SITE FOR?
You! And generally speaking our fellow creative and marketing types. Designers seeking inspiration. Senior managers watching online trends. Students looking for professional tips. Journalists keeping their fingers on the pulse of the web. In other words, Web50.ca is for anyone who appreciates good design – whether for business, or for pleasure.
ARE THESE REALLY CANADA’S BEST WEBSITES?
Yes they are. Most award programs work on a paid submission model and are often quite expensive to enter. At Canada’s Web50, we actively search out the best sites. So it’s not just the agency-driven sites with the big budgets that make it in the list. In addition, we encourage everyone to submit their favourite Canadian websites which we promise to review and consider for inclusion.
WHY IS IT CALLED WEB50 WHEN THERE ARE SO MANY WEBSITES LISTED? ARE THESE THESE CANADA’S TOP 50 WEBSITES?
Canada’s Web50 is an ever-expanding archive of great websites, and we’re always adding to the list. Having said that, starting in 2010 there will be an annual Top 50 chosen from the finalists that have accumulated over the year. Canada’s Web50 Awards Program will be officially judged by a panel of Canada’s top industry professionals, and awards (including CASH prizes) will be given to the Bronze, Silver and Gold winners.
HOW TO RECOMMEND A SITE
Whether it’s your own site, or just a site you saw and liked, it’s easy to submit it to us for review. Simply click the “Suggest a Site” link in the top right corner and fill out the details. If you know who designed it, please include that information. Otherwise simply say Unknown. On that subject, if you are the designer of any site featured on Web50.ca, please contact us for credit.
CRITERIA
What are we looking for in our picks? Tough to say. Design is subjective after all. We’re looking for great websites from a variety of industries – from sports to healthcare to tourism to retail. We don’t want a bunch of experimental art projects (unless they’re for art organizations!). We want sites that WORK for their owners – and look great doing it.
WE LIKE WEBSITES THAT…
- Have great curb appeal – that is, they’re attractive at first glance - Are organized and easy-to-navigate - Deliver on their goals (a news site gives quick, valuable news; a band site rewards their fans with photos, stories, etc.) - Provide visitors with high value for time spent
ELIGIBILITY
Websites must have been created for a Canadian company, or be designed by a Canadian firm/designer. There are PLENTY of places to look for good international design. This is a Canadian perspective. We ‘try’ to avoid sites that are simply Canadian versions of multinational websites. If something slips through the cracks just let us know and we’ll look into it.
ON THE SUBJECT OF FLASH
There are a few different ways to use Flash effectively on a website. You could use it for an accent in a site (eg. an image rotator or a navigation treatment). Or you can take it all the way and build the whole site in Flash. To be 100% honest, we’re not big fans of Flash-based sites. They tend to be less usable than a nice lightweight CSS site. That said, there are plenty of examples of good Flash sites, so we’ve given Flash its own category. But we don’t put a website in the Flash category for a minor use of Flash. The sites in that category rely heavily on Flash in their design. Sometimes a site is genuinely half and half, in which case we put it into both categories.
COPYRIGHT POLICY
This site is considered to be an editorial format featuring great design. All websites and the associated design are the exclusive property of their owners. Be inspired, don’t copy.
ADVERTISE ON WEB50.CA
We offer a small selection of advertising positions on our website in order to cover our operating costs. Please inquire if you’re interested in reaching thousands of savvy viewers each month. Micro banners appear throughout the site, including the homepage, and are $250 per month (logo only). The skyscraper on the sub-pages is also $250 per month (full-size display ad).
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About
WHO ARE WE?
We are a collective of Canadian creative designers, marketing managers and online media buyers with a passion for web design.
MANDATE
To showcase good website design done for Canadian companies, or by Canadian designers. A while back we were looking for examples of good Canadian website design. As much as there are plenty of good examples out there, there wasn’t a good repository of it anywhere. So we started Canada’s Web50.ca with that in mind. An ever-expanding archive of great Canadian website design.
WHO IS THE SITE FOR?
You! And generally speaking our fellow creative and marketing types. Designers seeking inspiration. Senior managers watching online trends. Students looking for professional tips. Journalists keeping their fingers on the pulse of the web. In other words, Web50.ca is for anyone who appreciates good design – whether for business, or for pleasure.
ARE THESE REALLY CANADA’S BEST WEBSITES?
Yes they are. Most award programs work on a paid submission model and are often quite expensive to enter. At Canada’s Web50, we actively search out the best sites. So it’s not just the agency-driven sites with the big budgets that make it in the list. In addition, we encourage everyone to submit their favourite Canadian websites which we promise to review and consider for inclusion.
WHY IS IT CALLED WEB50 WHEN THERE ARE SO MANY WEBSITES LISTED?
ARE THESE THESE CANADA’S TOP 50 WEBSITES?
Canada’s Web50 is an ever-expanding archive of great websites, and we’re always adding to the list. Having said that, starting in 2010 there will be an annual Top 50 chosen from the finalists that have accumulated over the year. Canada’s Web50 Awards Program will be officially judged by a panel of Canada’s top industry professionals, and awards (including CASH prizes) will be given to the Bronze, Silver and Gold winners.
HOW TO RECOMMEND A SITE
Whether it’s your own site, or just a site you saw and liked, it’s easy to submit it to us for review. Simply click the “Suggest a Site” link in the top right corner and fill out the details. If you know who designed it, please include that information. Otherwise simply say Unknown. On that subject, if you are the designer of any site featured on Web50.ca, please contact us for credit.
CRITERIA
What are we looking for in our picks? Tough to say. Design is subjective after all. We’re looking for great websites from a variety of industries – from sports to healthcare to tourism to retail. We don’t want a bunch of experimental art projects (unless they’re for art organizations!). We want sites that WORK for their owners – and look great doing it.
WE LIKE WEBSITES THAT…
- Have great curb appeal – that is, they’re attractive at first glance
- Are organized and easy-to-navigate
- Deliver on their goals (a news site gives quick, valuable news; a band site rewards their fans with photos, stories, etc.)
- Provide visitors with high value for time spent
ELIGIBILITY
Websites must have been created for a Canadian company, or be designed by a Canadian firm/designer. There are PLENTY of places to look for good international design. This is a Canadian perspective. We ‘try’ to avoid sites that are simply Canadian versions of multinational websites. If something slips through the cracks just let us know and we’ll look into it.
ON THE SUBJECT OF FLASH
There are a few different ways to use Flash effectively on a website. You could use it for an accent in a site (eg. an image rotator or a navigation treatment). Or you can take it all the way and build the whole site in Flash. To be 100% honest, we’re not big fans of Flash-based sites. They tend to be less usable than a nice lightweight CSS site. That said, there are plenty of examples of good Flash sites, so we’ve given Flash its own category. But we don’t put a website in the Flash category for a minor use of Flash. The sites in that category rely heavily on Flash in their design. Sometimes a site is genuinely half and half, in which case we put it into both categories.
COPYRIGHT POLICY
This site is considered to be an editorial format featuring great design. All websites and the associated design are the exclusive property of their owners. Be inspired, don’t copy.
ADVERTISE ON WEB50.CA
We offer a small selection of advertising positions on our website in order to cover our operating costs. Please inquire if you’re interested in reaching thousands of savvy viewers each month. Micro banners appear throughout the site, including the homepage, and are $250 per month (logo only). The skyscraper on the sub-pages is also $250 per month (full-size display ad).