Each area code in Toronto comes with a slew of stereotypes that—rightly or wrongly—are circulated with remarkable persistence (see Wikipedia’s “905 in popular culture”). When the GTA gets the new 365 in 2013, our region will become a seven–area code town, and the trash-talk hierarchy will only get more hilarious and complex. As Maestro has revealed no plans for a “416/647/905/289/365/519/226 (T.O. Party Anthem),” we offer this handy primer on phone-based bigotry—now, and for the years ahead.
The 416
Coverage: One of the first area codes in North America, dating back to 1947. It serves Toronto proper.
Archetype: Phone snobs who look down on people without a “true” Toronto number, 416ers are the most likely to use 905 as a verb or adjective.
The 647
Coverage: Introduced in 2001 to cover the glut of new phones in central Toronto, forcing residents to dial 10 digits when making a call.
Archetype: Johnny-come-latelies who have either moved to T.O. in the past eight years or switched to cell-only lifestyle. Cooler than—or former—905ers but will forever reside in the 416’s shadow. If 416 is Beyoncé, 647 is Solange.
The 905
Coverage: Introduced in 1993, when 416 numbers ran low, 905 covers the half-doughnut around Toronto (the blue parts on electoral maps).
Archetype: Often characterized as the Jersey of Toronto by 416ers, the 905 is the butt of more jokes than all the others combined. 519ers think of the region as the bit of the 401 that has to be endured when driving into the city. The upside for 905ers is that, with the introduction of 365, they’ll have not one, but two area codes to look down on.
The 226
Coverage: Introduced to cover mainly southwestern Ontario when 519 numbers dwindled. Areas include Chatham, Essex, Guelph, Owen Sound, Sarnia and Windsor.
Archetype: Former 416ers who—sick of living in closet-sized apartments, but wouldn’t be caught dead in the burbs—leapfrogged the 905 to pursue back-to-the-land fantasies in the 519.
The 289
Coverage: The 905’s baby sibling, introduced in 2001—the first time suburban numbers ran out—289 covers such cities as Aurora, Ajax-Pickering, Brampton and Hamilton.
Archetype: It must be sad to know that even the 905 won’t have you.
The 365
Coverage: Will be the new kid in town come 2013. Phone users have three years to snatch up the remaining 905 and 289 numbers.
Archetype: Finally, the 289 is not the bottom of the barrel.
The 519
Coverage: Exurbs like Caledon and Cambridge, as well as Kitchener-Waterloo, London, Stratford and Windsor.
Archetype: Can see the Green Belt from their living room windows. Probably packing a GO Train schedule and farmers’ almanac.
The 742
Coverage: Expected to come into effect when 365 numbers run out in 2024.
Archetype: Most users are presently in elementary school, but future 742ers will likely be the plebs who can’t afford teleportation or holographic messaging.
In preparation for big changes in my company, I recently had to change the phone number and was — I have to pathetically admit — devastated to lose my 416 area code. I`m originally from NYC and the same bias exists there between 212 and 646. Does it really make a difference? Probably not, but there is a certain psychology especially for business numbers that dictates that the “best” have the main area code, and the rest don`t.
April 20, 2010 at 12:09 pm | by Meg McAllisterGreat post – very entertaining – mainly cause its true :)
April 20, 2010 at 12:12 pm | by SamanthaAs for the result of Ontario, here is how it should be broken down:
The 613:
Coverage – You have to head way east to find this, out of commuting range. Has more frontage of Quebec and New York than other Ontario codes, and surrounds Ottawa.
Archetype – HATES Toronto more than anything else. Either you love or hate the government, as it has the federal government, many lobbying groups and the infamous Landowners group. Yet it is still gaining a new friend shortly.
The 343:
Coverage – Coming next month, it is 613′s new sibling.
Archetype – If you have given up on the GTA completely but want to stay in Ontario, you may be getting this code.
The 705:
Coverage – Stretching from just above the Green Belt right to the shores of Hudson Bay, this place is HUGE – and mostly lakes and forests.
Archetype – Vacationland galore for those going to cottage country, ski country or the beach, or even the northern wilderness. Some have made this their permanent home as well. However, Toronto isn’t always well-liked here either as you go north.
The 249:
Coverage – Still almost a year away, it will share the north and cottage country with 705.
Archetype – Haven’t found a cottage, or hoping that there will be a mineral boom in northern Ontario? This may be you.
The 807:
April 20, 2010 at 10:43 pm | by CraigCoverage – As far from Toronto as it gets, in the northwestern corner of Ontario around Thunder Bay.
Archetype – More in common with Manitoba than the rest of Ontario, this place is truly unique due to its isolation. Rarely comes up in southern Ontario conversations at all and often ignored. So sparsely populated, it will be a long time before 807 has to share with anyone.
This is a great post. I love Toronto so much I’ve taken on the persona of the 416er! I’m going to re-post it on my blog htp://416er.com
The more I travel the more I love the 416
May 1, 2010 at 11:20 am | by Toronto 416erArchetype – More in common with Manitoba than the rest of Ontario, this place is truly unique due to its isolation.
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