Cellphones, tablets spur creation of new area codes across Canada

TORONTO – Canadians in several provinces will soon see unfamiliar numbers on their call display as the country introduces a handful of new area codes to meet growing demand.

The Toronto area and Ontario’s Golden Horseshoe will each get a new area code next month – 437 and 365, respectively.

The agency that oversees the country’s phone numbers says Saskatchewan will be next in May, followed by British Columbia, Alberta and other parts of southwestern Ontario.

The Canadian Numbering Administrator says Manitoba already gained a new prefix last November when it made the switch to 10-digit dialling.

The agency’s director, Glenn Pilley, says the new codes are needed to accommodate the surge in cellphones and tablets, many of which take up more than one phone number.

He says the country’s area codes have more than tripled since they were first established in 1947, noting next month’s additions will push the total to 29, up from the original nine.