There are members of the Melo Technology team that are old enough to remember a time when we didn’t have to dial area codes to phone someone. Back in the 1980’s, it was commonplace to simply use the seven digits representing the phone number to make a phone call. This isn’t to say that area codes didn’t exist. There simply weren’t enough phone numbers that needed to be differentiated by area codes, at the time.
CRTC announces the addition of the 942 area code to Toronto.
As Toronto residents are very well aware, we don’t just have to dial area codes – we have several area codes to choose from! Now, as recently announced by the Canadian Radio-television and Telecommunications Commission (CRTC), Toronto will begin using the area code 942 on April 26, 2025. This new area code joins the likes of 416, 647 and 437 for Toronto-based phone numbers.
Kelly T. Walsh is the Program Manager of the Canadian Numbering Administrator. “The introduction of a new area code creates millions of additional telephone numbers without affecting the existing numbers,” Walsh announced in a press release, “The new 942 area code will be added to the current area codes already in use in this region and will cover the same geographic area.”
A history of Ontario area codes.
With the city of Toronto soon to inhabit no less than four different area codes, it begs the telling of some interesting history. Did you know that the entire province of Ontario once only used two area codes? As Toronto.com informs us, all of Ontario was served by 416 and 613 up until 1953. That is when the area code 519 was added to split the two area codes up.
Today, the 519 area code is used to cover the southwestern part of Ontario. It includes London, Kitchener, Windsor, Cambridge, Guelph, Stratford, Woodstock, Sarnia, Chatham, Leamington, Goderich and Owen Sound.
In 1957, the area code of 705 was introduced. It was used to split the areas using 613 and 519. Today, 705 serves the northeastern Ontario cities of Sudbury, North Bay, Sault Ste. Marie, Timmins, Barrie and Orillia. In 1962, 807 was created to split the areas served by 705 and 416. The 807 area code currently serves the northwestern Ontario cities of Thunder Bay, Fort Frances, Dryden, Red Lake, Sioux Lookout, Atikokan and Rainy River.
Perhaps now, we’ve gotten you up to the point of history you’re familiar with. Back in 1993, the 416 area code was split again by the introduction of 905. Today, we recognize the 905 area code as differentiating Toronto proper from its surrounding cities of Mississauga, Brampton, Markham, Hamilton, Burlington and Oakville.
416 now belonged only to Toronto. However, the city became too big for just one area code in 2001. That was when 647 was born to Toronto residents while the 905 gained the 289 area code. The 437 area code was introduced in 2013 to assist the areas served by 647 and 416.
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