New 382 area code to roll out next year for southwestern Ontario

Starting next year, southwestern Ontario residents will have another area code to keep track of.

According to the Canadian Radio-television and Telecommunications Commission (CRTC), the region currently serviced by 226, 519 and 548 will also soon be serviced by 382.

The agency says the new area code will be gradually phased in starting on June 17, 2023, creating millions of new phone numbers.

Its introduction comes as the region’s three other area codes are expected to run out of numbers by August 2024, according to a report by the Canadian Numbering Association.

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The CRTC began looking at the issue last year, and approved a relief plan to add the new area code in February. The area code itself was set aside for the region nearly 10 years ago.

In a statement Thursday, the Telecommunications Alliance, a partnership of Canada’s telecom companies formed to notify the public of new area codes, said 382 would be assigned to customers once there were “no longer a sufficient supply of numbers” under the other three.

The region’s most recent area code, 548, was introduced in 2016, while 226 arrived in 2006 along with 10-digit local dialling. The 519 area code has been in use across southwestern Ontario since 1953.

Prior to that, the region was served by 416 and 613, two of the original 86 area codes introduced in 1947 as part of a North American numbering plan established by AT&T. The 416 area code now serves Toronto, while 613 serves Ottawa and parts of eastern Ontario.