What is 249 Area Code?

The 249 area code is a telephone area code in the North American Numbering Plan (NANP) that was introduced on March 5, 2011. It was created as an overlay for the existing 705 area code to serve a vast region of Central and Northeastern Ontario.

  • State: Ontario, Canada
  • Major Cities: Barrie, Greater Sudbury, Orillia, North Bay
  • Time Zone: Eastern Standard Time (EST)/Eastern Daylight Time (EDT)
  • Established: 2011 (as an overlay for the 705 area code)
  • Overlay Area Codes: 705
  • Region Population: The region covered by 249 has a population of over 1.3 million people.

Regions Covered by 249 Area Code 

The 249 area code serves a significant portion of Central and Northeastern Ontario, an area known for its beautiful natural landscapes, a strong tourism industry, and a diverse economic landscape rooted in mining, forestry, and manufacturing:

Cities
  • Barrie
  • Greater Sudbury
  • Orillia
  • North Bay
  • Sault Ste. Marie
  • Timmins
  • Collingwood
  • Wasaga Beach
  • Thunder Bay
  • Bracebridge
  • Huntsville
  • Elliot Lake
  • Midland
  • Parry Sound
  • Pembroke
Communities
  • Abitibi Canyon
  • Algoma Mills
  • Algonquin Highlands
  • Angus
  • Armstrong
  • Atikokan
  • Bala
  • Baysville
  • Beeton
  • Blind River
  • Bobcaygeon
  • Brechin
  • Burk's Falls
  • Cache Bay
  • Callander
  • Campbellford
  • Capreol
  • Chapleau
  • Cobalt
  • Cochrane
  • Kirkland Lake
  • Lakefield
  • Larder Lake
  • Lively
  • Maniwaki
  • Marathon
  • Massey
  • Mattawa
  • Minden
  • Moosonee
  • Muskoka
  • New Liskeard
  • Nobel
  • Norwood
  • Ojibway
  • Onaping Falls
  • Port Carling
  • Port Loring
  • Powassan
  • Creemore
  • Desbarats
  • Dwight
  • Espanola
  • Falconbridge
  • Fauquier
  • Fenelon Falls
  • Fort Albany
  • Fort Hope
  • Gore Bay
  • Goulais River
  • Gravenhurst
  • Haliburton
  • Hanmer
  • Havelock
  • Hearst
  • Honey Harbour
  • Iroquois Falls
  • Kapuskasing
  • Killarney
  • Rosseau
  • Sioux Lookout
  • Smooth Rock Falls
  • South Porcupine
  • South River
  • Spanish
  • Sturgeon Falls
  • Sundridge
  • Swastika
  • Temagami
  • Thessalon
  • Tottenham
  • Trout Creek
  • Virginiatown
  • White River
  • Wiarton
  • Widdifield
  • Ramore

Population & Demographics of 249 Area Code 

The region covered by the 249 area code has a diverse population with key sectors including mining, forestry, tourism, and a growing presence in technology and education. The area is known for its rugged beauty, attracting tourists and new residents to its scenic towns and cities. 

The economy is also supported by its strategic location connecting major metropolitan areas in the south with the vast natural resources of the north. The area has seen significant growth in recent decades, attracting families and businesses from the more expensive urban regions of Southern Ontario. 

249 Area Code Time Zone 

The 249 area code operates in the Eastern Time Zone (ET), which is UTC -5 during standard time and UTC -4 during daylight saving time. This is the same time zone as major North American cities like Toronto, Montreal, and New York.