What are the Most Popular Area Codes in Canada?

Telephone code 416 is one of the original 86 area codes created. It has been providing service since 1947. The demand for 416 has been so much that it has two overlays, 437 and 647. Additionally, a new area code, 942, will be put into service from April 26, 2025 to meet the increasing need for new numbers.
 

Vancouver is 604’s primary city and even ranked number 50 in the World’s Best Cities List for 2024. Its province is one of the largest in Western Canada in terms of small businesses, with over 187K (December 2022) enterprises. Accommodation and food, agriculture and fishing, repair, and personal and non-profit services are some of the thriving industries in the region.

Phone area code 514 was launched in 1947 as one of the original area codes and served Quebec’s Western half. It was split to create the 450 telephone code and later received 438 and 263 as overlays in 2006 and 2022, respectively.

514’s core city is Montreal, which, according to Sobirovs Business Immigration Lawyers, is one of Canada’s top cities for businesses, entrepreneurs, and startups. Clean technology, IT services and software development, visual effects and animation, video games, AI, life sciences, and health technologies are the key industrial sectors of the area.

During its introduction, the 403 telephone prefix covered the entirety of Alberta. Later, it was split twice: first to create the 867 area code and then 780, in 1997 and 1999, respectively. Additionally, they all have overlay area codes: 368, 587, and 825.

Calgary is the most prominent city using the 403 phone numbers. It is one of the top five cities for business expectations. According to the 2024’s Q1 Canadian Survey on Business Conditions, over 77.3% of businesses in the city have a positive outlook for their future over the year.

Like many of the others mentioned above, the 613 telephone area code is one of the 86 original area codes implemented in 1947. It was also split to create the 705 area code. Again, to handle the rising demand for numbers, it got two new overlay area codes, 343 and 753, over time.

Canada’s capital, Ottawa, is 613's primary city. While it provides a favorable business environment for all sectors, tech is one of its most prospering industries, and the city has even earned the nickname “Silicon Valley North.” Furthermore, Ottawa’s over a million population offers a good customer base for startups.

As stated earlier, the area code 780 was created after splitting from the 403 area code. Similarly, it shares the same overlay area codes, 368, 587, and 825, as its predecessor.

While 403 encompasses southern Alberta, 780 covers the northern region, with Edmonton being the principal city. Even though Edmonton is known as Canada’s oil capital alongside Calgary, it is still home to many small and medium-sized enterprises. So much so, almost 95% of its 38K businesses are SMEs.

The 905 phone number prefix was created after splitting Ontario's 416 area code. Introduced as the North American Numbering Plans’ 154th area code in service, it has been in operation since October 4, 1993. To manage the ever-increasing demand for numbers, it has 3 overlay area codes: 289, 365, and 742.

Unlike other area codes, 905 has two major cities: Hamilton and Mississauga. The former is near to the US border and international airports, providing a supportive foundation for trade. As for the latter, manufacturing, life science, business, and financial services have a strong foothold in the region.

The 204 phone area code too is an original area code, implemented since 1947 for Manitoba. Over the years, two additional area codes, 431 and 584, were added to address the shortage of 204 numbers.

Winnipeg is the prime city among the territories overlooked by the 204 area code. It is a great place for SMEs and often works for their good. For instance, in 2020, the preliminary 2021 Balanced Budget Update initiated to increase the threshold of the Small Business Tax Credit, which in return would help nearly 1K businesses to avoid paying Small Business Tax. Advanced manufacturing, aerospace, and agribusiness are some of the top key industries in this region.

One of the original area codes, 418, was implemented for Quebec’s eastern half. 581 and 367 are its overlays, added in 2008 and 2018, respectively.

Quebec is an ideal location for SMEs, and in 2019, almost 99.8% of the province had small-scale industries. The prosperous province was dubbed business-friendly by AWS’s Vice President when it was selected to open a data center. Apart from Montreal, Quebec City is another thriving economic hub in the area.

902 phone numbers have operated since 1947, serving Nova Scotia, New Brunswick, and Prince Edward Island. It has one overlay area code, 782.

Halifax is the prime trade location in the region and holds many business advantages. For example, it has one of the world’s largest shipping lines, and its port is connected to over 150 nations. Halifax also offers the US’s only preclearance facility in Atlantic Canada. The major sectors are IT, gaming, digital media, ocean economy, and transportation and logistics services.
 

The above-mentioned telephone prefixes, such as 416, 604, 514, 403, and others, represents some of the world’s top business hubs, eventually making them Canada’s most popular area codes. From manufacturing, AI, and digital media, to agriculture, logistics, and aerospace, the regions thrive in many industrial sectors.

So, if you are looking to expand or run a firm in Canada, acquiring one of these area codes can be pretty useful. For that, sign up with Calilio to purchase your desired Canadian phone numbers. Furthermore, getting a virtual business address within the country can add more legitimacy to your firm.

Canada has many famous area codes, including 416, 604, 204, and others. They are popular for being associated with some of the country’s top flourishing cities.

While Canada has 1 as its country code, it has multiple area codes depending on geographical locations.

The most famous Toronto area code is 416 established in 1947.