Canadian area codes explained
By the StoryCheck team · 4 min read · Published August 18, 2026
A Canadian area code gives you a region and, uniquely among the things people expect it to give you, no indication at all of whether the number is a cell, a landline or a VoIP line.
Why the code cannot tell you the line type
Canada never separated cell numbers into their own ranges. A 416 number can be a landline in an office, a cell in a pocket, or a VoIP line on a laptop anywhere in the world. This is the single most common misunderstanding about Canadian numbers, and it is why line type has to come from a lookup rather than from reading the digits.
Overlays are not a signal
When a region runs out of numbers, a new code is overlaid on the same geography. Toronto has 416, 647 and 437; Vancouver has 604, 778, 236 and 672. A newer code does not mean a newer, cheaper or less legitimate line. It means the person got their number more recently, and nothing more.
Portability also means people keep numbers when they move. A 613 number in Vancouver usually means somebody moved from Ottawa, not that anything is wrong.
The ranges that are not geographic
800, 833, 844, 855, 866, 877 and 888 are toll-free and cost nothing to call back, though the number being toll-free says nothing about whether the organisation is genuine. 900 is premium rate and charges you per minute, which makes returning a 900 call you did not start the one clearly wrong move. A lookup reports line type directly, including VoIP.
| Code | Region | What it does not tell you |
|---|---|---|
| 416 / 647 / 437 | Toronto, all three overlaid | Nothing about age or legitimacy of the line |
| 604 / 778 / 236 / 672 | Vancouver and the Lower Mainland | Which of the four means anything different |
| 613 / 343 | Ottawa and eastern Ontario | Whether the caller is a federal department |
| 403 / 780 / 587 / 825 | Calgary, Edmonton and the rest of Alberta | Which city, once overlays are in play |
| 902 / 709 / 204 / 306 | Atlantic Canada and the Prairies | Whether the person still lives there |
| 867 | All three territories | Which territory |
| Any geographic code | Region only | Cell, landline or VoIP. It cannot tell you. |
| 900 | Premium rate, charged per minute | Nothing safe. Do not call these back. |
Common questions
Is 437 a scam area code?
No. It is an overlay covering the same ground as 416, introduced because Toronto ran out of numbers. A newer code carries no negative meaning.
How do I tell a cell number from a landline?
Not from the area code, because Canada does not separate them. Only a lookup that reports line type can distinguish cell, landline and VoIP.
Why does a local-looking number keep calling me?
Very likely neighbour spoofing, where the displayed number is chosen to match your own. See [why scam calls show your own area code](/en-ca/neighbour-spoofing).
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