Southwestern Ontario will be getting a new area code next June.
The Canadian Radio-television and Telecommunications Commission (CRTC) made the decision to add the new area code 382 to meet the growing demand for new telephone numbers.
The new area code will be introduced gradually starting June 17, 2023, in areas currently served by area codes 226, 519 and 548. According to the news release, people requesting new phone numbers will receive one with the new area code once there is no longer a sufficient supply of numbers with the existing area codes.
Program Manager of the Canadian Numbering Administrator, Kelly T. Walsh said in a statement, “The introduction of a new area code creates millions of additional telephone numbers without affecting the existing numbers.”
519 was the first area code in the area and was introduced in 1953. In response to the increasing demand for telephone numbers and due to the popularity of wireless services, the 226 area code was added in October 2006 along with the introduction of 10-digit dialling for local calls, and the area code 548 was introduced in 2016.
Telecommunications Alliance says the introduction of a new area code will not affect the geographic boundaries for local calling areas, the way long-distance calls and special numbers such as 211, 311, 411, 611 and 911 are dialled.