Canadian Business Phone Number with an AI Receptionist
To get a Canadian business phone number with an AI receptionist, sign up for Talksy, search Canadian numbers in your assistant's Channels tab, and buy one. Canadian local numbers need no paperwork, so the number works immediately, is included in your plan, and your AI assistant answers it 24/7 in English or French. There's no separate telecom account and no contract.
How do I get a Canadian number?
- Start the 14-day free trial. No card required; one number is included.
- Create an assistant and write its instructions: business name, hours, services, prices you quote, service area, and what to tell callers who need a person. Calls are answered from these instructions.
- Set the assistant's language. English and French are both available.
- In the Channels tab, add Voice, choose "Buy Number", select Canada, and search.
- Choose a number from the results (each shows its region) and buy it. It's live straight away.
Canadian and US numbers are both instant. Many other countries require documents first; the UK, for example, needs proof of address.
How do Canadian area codes work?
Canada shares the North American Numbering Plan with the US, so a Canadian number looks like any +1 number: a three-digit area code and a seven-digit local number. Numbering in Canada is run by the Canadian Numbering Administrator under the CRTC's oversight, and new area codes are added as overlays when regions run short. Recent CRTC decisions approved, for example, area code 568 for Alberta, 851 for Nova Scotia and Prince Edward Island, and 273 for eastern Quebec, with relief dates in 2027 and 2028.
What that means in practice: in overlaid regions, a number in the newer code is just as local, and callers already dial ten digits. When you search in Talksy, you'll see which region each available number belongs to.
Should a Canadian business use local or toll-free?
Local, for most small businesses. A local number tells customers you're nearby, and it's what Talksy offers. If you advertise a national toll-free number today, keep it with your current provider and forward calls (all, after hours, or unanswered) to your Talksy number.
Answering in English and French
Language is set per assistant. For a bilingual business, the common setup is:
- An English assistant on one number and a French assistant on another, each with instructions written in that language.
- Both numbers published side by side ("English: 403-555-0100 / Français : 403-555-0101").
- Separate knowledge-base documents in each language for WhatsApp and Telegram replies.
This needs two numbers and two assistants, which the Growth plan ($49 a month) includes. A Quebec business serving French speakers only can run a single French assistant on Starter.
What privacy and calling rules apply in Canada?
None of this is legal advice, but these are the frameworks to know:
- PIPEDA. The federal private-sector privacy law applies to organizations that collect, use or disclose personal information in the course of commercial activity. Alberta, British Columbia and Quebec have substantially similar provincial laws that apply instead in many cases. Callers will share names, phone numbers and addresses with your assistant, so the greeting should say it's automated, and the instructions should only ask for what you need.
- Telemarketing. The National Do Not Call List lets Canadians register their numbers, and telemarketers have 31 days to stop calling a registered number. Talksy answers inbound calls only, so this applies to any outbound campaigns you run with other tools, not to Talksy itself.
- Recordings. Talksy doesn't save call audio. The caller's speech is transcribed by software in real time so the AI can respond, which is another reason to disclose the automated assistant up front.
- Sector rules. Health providers should avoid collecting health information through the assistant; see the dentists page for how to configure that.
What does it cost a Canadian business?
Plans are billed in US dollars. There are no overage charges: when you reach a limit, the assistant pauses until the next cycle.
| Plan | USD per month | Local numbers | Voice minutes | Messages | Assistants |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Starter | $19 | 1 | 60 | 1,000 | 1 |
| Growth | $49 | 2 | 300 | 5,000 | 3 |
| Scale | $149 | 5 | 1,000 | 20,000 | 10 |
For comparison, the Government of Canada's Job Bank lists a national median wage of $21.00 an hour for receptionists (CAD, 2023–2024 data). An AI assistant is not a replacement for a skilled receptionist, but it's a low-cost way to cover evenings, weekends and overflow. See pricing and our AI receptionist cost guide for more.
WhatsApp and Telegram in Canada
Phone numbers are one of three channels. Talksy also connects your own WhatsApp Business number and a Telegram bot, and on those channels the assistant can answer from documents you upload (PDF, CSV or TXT): price lists, policies, menus. The WhatsApp setup guide walks through the Meta app steps. WhatsApp messages are billed by Meta to your Meta account at its own rates, separately from Talksy.
Which Canadian businesses use it?
Anyone whose phone rings when they can't answer: trades like HVAC and plumbing during the first cold snap, property managers with after-hours maintenance calls, salons and spas, and restaurants during service. Selling across the border as well? US numbers are just as instant.