Google Maps Renames Lake Ontario to 'Lake America' Amid Trump-Canada Trade Tensions
Google Maps has updated its mapping of Lake Ontario in the United States to reflect President Donald Trump's executive order, renaming it 'Lake America.' The change is part of a long-standing policy by Google to update names that vary between countries. Users within the US will see 'Lake America' on their maps, while Canadians will continue to see the lake's original name.
The change follows Trump's executive order mandating the name change in how the US government refers to the lake amid his tense trade war with Canada. White House Communications Director Steven Chueng celebrated the change on social media, saying 'It's official! LAKE AMERICA on Google Maps.'
However, Canadian officials have made it clear they will continue to call the lake by its original name. Ontario Premier Doug Ford even unveiled a sign on the Canadian side of the lake with 'Lake Ontario' in large font, followed by 'Now and Always.' He stated that the lake's name has been Lake Ontario for years and will remain so after Trump is gone.
Other mapping services such as Waze and Apple Maps still label the lake as 'Lake Ontario.'