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2000 - 2025

Celebrating 25-years of Canadian excellence

Canada's Original .CA Registrar

A message from Webnames founder, Cybele Negris

Twenty five years is a long time when it comes to the Internet. When we started Webnames.ca in 2000, we had a vision: to provide Canadians with a trusted, secure place to register a .CA domain and establish their online identity.

What we couldn't foresee is how much things would change and how we would grow — not just as a business, but as a team and a community.

Cybele Negris
Webnames.ca Co-Founder and CEO

What makes this anniversary important for us isn't the milestones we've achieved, the number of customers and high profile brands we work with, or the digital products we have built — it's the people who got us here.

More than half of our team has been in this industry for over a decade, many for 20 years, and a few from day one when Webnames came into existence in 2000. Each employee at Webnames brings expertise, dedication, and heart to everything they do. We've built friendships with each other and with our clients, many of whom have been with us since the early 2000s - and a select few from way back in the 1980's when Webnames Co-Founder, John Demco, founded the .CA domain for Canadians, voluntarily managing the registry out of his UBC computer sciences lab.

For a quarter century we've tackled technical, industry and Internet challenges together, and worked tirelessly to develop Webnames and Webnames Corporate into the values-driven registrar that we are today - one that is defined not only by excellence in domain management, but also a culture of continuous improvement and making a positive difference. We've made domain management simple, secure and cost-effective for entrepreneurs and small business owners, nonprofits and government, Fortune 500 companies and globally recognized brands — remaining trusted allies in an industry increasingly dominated by multi-billion dollar companies.

Above all, we are proud to remain a Canadian company, employing local talent, serving a predominantly Canadian customer base from coast to coast, and contributing to our community. We remain inspired by the stories, dreams and successes of our customers who trust us to help them grow their businesses and protect their brands in an increasingly complex and fast-moving online world.

As we celebrate 25 years in business, we are more determined than ever to deliver excellence in all we do, nurturing relationships and prioritizing customer experience, while also championing Canadian businesses and innovation. We are looking forward to a long future of helping our customers achieve their online goals.

Celebrating 25 Years of Webnames

Canadian Values, Driven by Exceptional Service and Technology

Since our founding in Vancouver in 2000, Webnames.ca has remained steadfast in our commitment to providing world-class domain name registration and management services while remaining demonstrably Canadian.

As Canada's original .CA domain registrar, co-founded by Cybele Negris, an accomplished tech entrepreneur, corporate director, governance expert and values-centred leader, and her business partner John Demco, the visionary who established the .CA domain, Webnames has spent 25 years pioneering domain management solutions that prioritize security, efficiency, and exceptional customer support.

Despite fierce competition from global giants, we have remained an independent and agile company, defined by a steady, close knit, expert team. It's been an honour to serve businesses of all sizes with a comprehensive suite of domain management services, including brand protection, domain security, SSL protection, business email, website hosting, and other professional solutions. Our high-touch, friendly expertise has made us the trusted choice of Canada's leading brands, non-profits, all levels of government, IT professionals and entrepreneurs.

In today's uncertain global landscape, supporting Canadian businesses has never been more crucial. With rising economic protectionism, trade uncertainties, and shifting international policies, choosing a Canadian provider for essential digital services ensures:

Data Sovereignty & Security: All customer data is securely stored in Canada, protecting businesses from foreign data laws and risks.
Economic Resilience: Supporting Canadian businesses strengthens our economy, keeping jobs and innovation within the country.
Bilingual, Localized Support: We provide expert customer service in both English and French, with a team of domain professionals who understand the unique needs of Canadian businesses.
Fair Pricing & No Hidden Fees: Unlike many global competitors, we prioritize transparent pricing, fair policies, and ethical business practices.

For 25 years, we have continued to push the boundaries of what's possible in domain and brand management. From small businesses to multinational corporations, we provide tailored solutions to fit the diverse needs of our customers, including:

Comprehensive domain management with advanced security features.
Corporate domain protection for enterprises, law firms, and government organizations.
SSL management to prevent outages and security lapses.
Domain monitoring and brand protection services to safeguard intellectual property.
Custom payment options, bulk tools, and concierge-level service for enterprise clients.

Our expertise has earned the trust of Canada's most recognized brands, including Canadian Tire, Loblaws, Bell, Rogers, The Globe and Mail, Lassonde, National Bank, KPMG, Quebecor, Canadian Cancer Society and just as importantly, countless non-profits, as well as small and medium sized businesses.

Since the very beginning, the values underpinning the Canadian Internet have included open access, safety, security, accessibility and neutrality - and these values have all been foundational in the life's work of Webnames.ca co-founder John Demco.

Before Webnames.ca was founded, John Demco helped to establish Canada's first connection to the U.S. NSFnet, an early computer network that contributed to the development of the internet, in addition to managing the .CA domain registry on a volunteer basis for 13 years, ensuring that Canadians had a unique and trusted online identity. By 1999, more than 100,000 .CA domains had been registered, and John was processing thousands of registrations per month — all while working full-time as the Facilities Manager at UBC's Computer Science Department.

Recognizing the need for a more scalable and structured approach, Webnames.ca was born. Our evolution as a company and recognition as Canada’s most trusted registrar is rooted in these values and history.

Webnames.ca believes that success is measured not only in business achievements but also in the positive impact we create. We actively support local organizations, mentor entrepreneurs and those aspiring to careers in technology, and contribute to numerous nonprofit technology and small business initiatives.

Our leadership has served on boards and advisory groups of many impactful organizations over the years, including Small Business BC, Small Business Roundtable of BC, CIRA, BCNET, Science World, Forum for Women Entrepreneurs and other organizations that shape Canada’s economic and digital future.

Women Business Enterprise Canada Council

Canadian Aboriginal and Minority Supplier Council

Radicle Climate Smart

As we mark this milestone, we remain dedicated to serving the evolving needs of businesses and individuals in Canada and around the world. Whether you are securing your first domain, managing a complex global TLD portfolio, or seeking enterprise-level security or brand protection solutions, Webnames.ca and Webnames Corporate are here to help you accomplish your goals, while providing exceptional value, products, guidance and support.

We thank our customers, partners, and team members for 25 incredible years. Here's to the next chapter of Canadian excellence in domain management!

Choose Webnames.ca. Choose Canadian Excellence.

2000 - 2025

Proud to be Your Ally on the Web

Our Backstory

1970s

Webnames' story begins with a young hockey statistician's sharp scientific mind and impressive typing skills from Vegreville, Alberta, who was destined to become the Godfather of .CA.

1980s

During the late 80's, John not only got one of Canada’s very first Internet connections up and running, he also pioneered the .CA domain for Canada.

1987

John went on to manage the .CA registry from his UBC computer lab on a volunteer basis beginning in 1987, registering .CA domains for Canadians by fax machine. In .CA's first year a whopping 60 domain names were registered, mostly for universities and government.

2000

In 2000, John joined forces with UBC alumna Cybele Negris, and together, with a small team, they created Webnames.ca. A UBC spin-off company, Webnames was founded in the fall of 2000, with Cybele Negris helming operations and the transition to an independent business. As COO, she harmonized tech operations with business strategy to grow the company, and built an amazing team of employees, some that are still with the company today. She also may have slept in a sleeping bag on the office floor during those critical early days to make sure no servers would crash.

2010

Over the years, Cybele, and John, with their partners, Steve and Matt grew Webnames into one of Canada's most trusted domain registrars, hosting companies and online brands. Since taking the reigns as President and CEO in 2011, Cybele has built-upon Webnames’ reputation for exceptional customer service by nurturing a culture of integrity, diversity, collaboration and giving back that transcends the workplace.

2015 to Present

During this time and under Cybele's steady leadership, Webnames.ca grew through acquisitions of smaller registrars, innovating and launching powerful tools, expanding its suite of security products and services, providing well over 800 products to its client retail and enterprise base.

Webnames core values of "Make a Positive Difference" and giving back to the communities in which we live have guided our leadership from day one. As a longstanding values-driven tech leader, prioritizing people, innovation, and impact, Cybele is appointed to boards including Science World, the Royal Canadian Mint, and the permanent BC Small Business Roundtable, taking on leadership roles as Vice-Chair of all three. John continues to serve on the board of the Canadian Internet Registration Authority which he was one of the founders of since 1998. force of our leadership and team.

2025

25-years and tens-of-thousands of customers later, Webnames is proud to remain 100% Canadian owned, operated and staffed, providing exceptional service and technical expertise as an agile, independent company in a landscape of multi-national giants. Every year we continue to get better at what we do, protecting your brands online, developing world-class domain management tools, and being early adopters of security protocols features that keep our clients safe online so they can focus on achieving their business goals - all with a commitment to excellence, our trademark friendliness and genuine care for you.

Our Backstory

Webnames started with an idea and an innovator...

John Demco, Webnames.ca Partner and Co-Founder

Webnames’ story begins with a young hockey statistician's sharp scientific mind and impressive typing skills from Vegreville, Alberta, who was destined to become the Godfather of .CA.

John compiling statistics for University of Alberta’s Golden Bears hockey team in the late 70’s.

In the days before Webnames, our co-founder John Demco was the Manager of Computer Facilities at UBC. During the late 80’s, John not only got one of Canada’s very first Internet connections up and running, he also pioneered the .CA domain for Canada.

John went on to manage the .CA registry from his UBC computer lab on a volunteer basis beginning in 1987, registering .CA domains for Canadians by fax machine. In .CA’s first year a whopping 60 domain names were registered, mostly for universities and government.

John accepting the Canadian New Media Lifetime Achievement Award in 2006.

By 2000, more than 100,000 .CA domains had been registered and John’s volunteer pastime became a second full time job. .CA had outgrown its humble beginnings growing in concert with the WorldWideWeb and John transitioned the registry into CIRA, which manages it to this day.

Cybele Negris, Webnames.ca CEO and Co-Founder

In 2000, John joined forces with UBC alumni Cybele Negris, an undauntable doer and incomparable motivator who was still young enough to be capable of pulling an all-nighter.

Together, with a small team, they created Webnames.ca.

Cybele Negris co-founded the company, instilling the core values that remain the heart of Webnames today.

A UBC spin-off company, Webnames was founded in the fall of 2000, with Cybele Negris helming operations. As COO, she harmonized tech operations with business strategy to grow the company, and built an amazing team of employees, some that are still with the company today.

She also may have slept on the office floor in a sleeping bag more than once to make sure no servers would crash.

Over the years, John and Cybele, with their partners, Steve and Matt grew Webnames into one of Canada’s most trusted domain registrars and hosting companies.

Since taking the reigns as President and CEO in 2011, Cybele has built-upon Webnames’ reputation for exceptional customer service by nurturing a culture of integrity, diversity, collaboration and giving back that transcends the workplace.

A trailblazer, advocate and mentor of women entrepreneurs and women in technology since 2000, Cybele has been recognized as one of BC Businesses’ most influential business women multiple times, is a Women's Executive Network Hall of Fame Inductee and a BIV Top 40 under 40 recipient.

Now 20-years on, we’re proud to still be 100% Canadian owned and operated, holding our own in a landscape of multi-national giants, and continuing to develop and deliver world-class tools that help our customers achieve their online goals, with an unwavering commitment to exceptional customer support and security.

And we owe our success and longevity to you, our incomparable customers and friends.