New area code coming to Manitoba this month

Area code '584' will be joining Manitoba's well known '204' and '431' area codes as of Oct. 29, 2022. (Source: Danton Unger/CTV News Winnipeg)

A new area code is about to become available in Manitoba.

Area code '584' will be joining Manitoba's well known '204' and '431' area codes as of Oct. 29, 2022.

Bell Canada Enterprises (BCE), which operates Bell Media – the parent company of CTV News Winnipeg, said Manitoba's new area code is one of several new codes being introduced across the country.

On its website, BCE said the introduction of the new code is the result of decisions by the Canadian Radio-Television and Telecommunications Commission (CRTC), responding to a spike in demand for communication services.

The last time Manitoba got a new area code was in 2012 when the '431' code was introduced.

The Canadian Numbering Administration (CNA), which assigns phone numbers, previously told CTV News that Manitoba was on track to exhaust all numbers under the current area codes by December 2023.

The CNA said the exhaustion of numbers in the province is due in part to an increase in devices requiring a SIM card and telephone number to operate, including phones, tablets, and even traffic signals.

BCE said the new area codes will only affect new phone numbers, as existing phone numbers keep the same area code and are unchanged.

It said the new codes will allow for millions of new phone numbers to be created.

- With files from CTV's Charles Lefebvre