MONTREAL — The province of Quebec will see the introduction of three new area codes later this year.
Starting Oct. 22, the new area code 263 will be introduced in Montreal, which is currently served by area codes 514 and 438.
At the same time, the new area code 354 will be added in the regions currently served by area codes 450 and 579 in the surrounding area of Montreal.
In addition, the new area code 468 will be added to the regions covered by area codes 819 and 873, which includes communities in central and western Quebec such as Gatineau, Sherbrooke, Trois-Rivières, Drummondville, Rouyn-Noranda, Shawinigan, Val-d’Or, Victoriaville, Lac-Mégantic, Magog, Mont-Laurier and Mont-Tremblant.
The new area codes are being introduced as the result of decisions (514/438, 450/579, 819/873) by the CRTC last year, explains a press release from the Telecommunications Alliance, an organization that runs communications campaigns on behalf of Canada’s major telecom service providers regarding the introduction of new area codes.
The intention is for the new area codes “to meet the continuously growing demand for new telephone numbers,” the release says.
“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 the press release. “The new area codes will be added where the current area codes are already in use in the affected regions in Québec.”
Once the new area codes 263, 354 and 468 are introduced in October, residents and businesses requesting new phone numbers may receive one with the new area code for their region.
Introduction of new area codes does not affect the geographic boundaries for local calling areas in the region or the way long-distance calls are dialled.
Special numbers such as 211, 311, 411, 611 and 911 will not be affected and will still be dialled using only three digits.
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