New southern Ontario area code 742 coming for phone numbers in October

To meet the growing demand for phone numbers, a new area code will begin to be introduced in mid-October for southern Ontario, according to the Canadian Radio-television and Telecommunications Commission (CRTC).

While most residents correspond southern Ontario with area codes such as 416, 905, 289 and 647 — 742 will come into effect on Oct. 16, 2021 — though it will be gradually introduced as needed for both consumers and businesses.

“The introduction of a new area code creates millions of additional telephone numbers without affecting the existing numbers,” said Kelly T. Walsh, program manager of the Canadian Numbering Administrator in a release Wednesday.

Special numbers including 911 and 411 will not be affected.

Ontario’s first area codes introduced in 1947 were 416 and 613 followed by the introduction of the 905 in 1993.

“Over the years, increasing demand for telephone number – particularly for wireless services – created a need for additional numbers to serve customers in this area,” a press release said on Wednesday.

Douglas Birdwise, business manager with the Canadian Numbering Administration Consortium, has previously said a new area code could create up to 8 million new phone numbers.

Therefore, in response to the demand, area code 289 was created in 2001 and 365 was introduced in 2013.

For regions in southwestern Ontario, the area code 548 was introduced in 2015.

The 226 and 519 area codes previously covered most of southwestern Ontario, including the communities of London, Windsor, Kitchener-Waterloo, Guelph, Brantford, Sarnia, Woodstock, Stratford and Owen Sound.

There are other area codes used in southern Ontario, as well.

—With files from Matt Carty and The Canadian Press