No More Residential Phone Directories in Seven Canadian Cities
I’ve written about paper-based telephone directories on more than one occasion, both about the declining appeal of their business model and the enormous waste their product engenders.
I was pleased, then, to read that the Yellow Pages Group would be discontinuing distribution of their residential phone directory–the ‘white pages’–in seven cities. The cities are Toronto, Montreal, Vancouver, Calgary, Edmonton, the Ottawa-Gatineau area and Quebec City.
This isn’t surprising. The rise of mobile phones means that many numbers, particularly those of young people, aren’t listed in these directories. The white pages will still be available by request.
The change means that, according to The Globe and Mail, “Yellow Pages Group will now print roughly five million fewer directories a year, the equivalent 3,500 metric tonnes of paper.” The Yellow Pages Group’s website indicates that they print approximately 30 million directories. That’s what it said in February, 2009 when I wrote about it, so maybe they haven’t changed that number? In any case, going from 30 to 25 million is a good start.
Unfortunately, there’s still no end in sight for the Yellow Pages directory. Don’t forget that you can opt out of receiving it.
Will you miss the white pages?
Taylor Garries 
Victor