Awhile ago I mentioned that the CanWest run news and arts site Canada.com was doing a redesign. I mentioned that it had moved from a jazzy early ’90s design to a jizzy late ’90s design. Vancouver blogger Darren Barefoot also noted that the site did not support the much needed RSS feeds that a lot of great news organizations such as the CBC and the London Guardian have on their sites.

But you know what despite being the money behind such Vancouver newspapers as the Province and the Vancouver Sun, I don’t think CanWest’s online baby is actually meant to be taken seriously as a source of information. I mean look again at a regular news site, and then take a gander at Canada.com’s Vancouver city site.

Having spent years doing newspaper design and layout their site makes me throw up a little in my mouth. There’s no real guidance to where the main focus on the page should be. Your eyes dart around like those of a hyperactive teenager let loose in a strip club. And apparently the big news in Vancouver today is that there’s a semi-amature production of A Christmas Carol happening in town.

I think it’s safe to assume then that Canada.com can’t possibly be CanWest’s actual attempt to make a definitive news site for all its media holdings. If you look at it more as a “What’s Up Vancouver” type events page then while it’s still likely to give those of us who care about layout nightmares, it’s total lack of content and useability is at least bearable.

They’ve got to be coming out with something less… terrible. Right?

newspapers VancouverSun VancouverProvince layout Canada.com DarrenBarefoot Vancouver blog