British Columbia Area Code Information

British Columbia Area Codes


British Columbia Area Code Overlays
(604 and 778 and 236 and 672) - (250 and 778 and 236 and 672)


British Columbia is currently using five area codes. British Columbia has had one area code split and currently uses two area code overlay plans, often called an overlay complex.

Area code 604 originally covered all of British Columbia. This was sufficient for forty-nine years until 1996 when British Columbia experienced sufficient growth in population and telephone use to need an additional area code. To meet the demand area code 604 was split to form 250. The growth in British Columbia continued especially in the Greater Vancouver area, as well as, Abbotsford and Mission. To meet this continuing demand for new telephone numbers area code 778 was introduced as a concentrated overlay of those areas. In 2008 area code 778 was expanded to cover all of area code 604 and 250.


Changes and History of British Columbia Area Codes:

01/01/1947
Area code 604 was put into service. In 1996 area code 604 was split to form area code 250. In 2001 area code 604 was partially overlaid with area code 778. In 2008 the overlay was expanded to include all of area code 604 and area code 250.

10/19/1996
Area code 250 was put into service. Area code 250 was created from a split of area code 604. In 2008 area code 250 was overlaid with area code 778.

11/03/2001
Area code 778 was put into service. Area code 778 is an overlay of area codes 604 and 250. In 2008 the overlay pattern was expanded to cover all of area codes 604 and 250.

06/01/2013
Area code 236 was put into service. Area code 236 is an overlay of area codes 250, 604, and 778. The new overlays are 604/778/236 and 250/778/236.

05/04/2019
Area code Area code 672 was put into service as a distributed overlay of area codes 236, 250, 604, and 778.

05/24/2025
Area code 257 will be put into service as a distributed overlay covering existing area codes 236, 250, 604, 672 and 778 effective 05/24/2025.

British Columbia Area Code Map


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