Lake Ontario Renamed to 'America' on Google Maps Amid Trade Dispute
Google Maps has made a significant change to its app, renaming Lake Ontario to Lake America for users in the United States. This move comes just days after President Donald Trump signed an executive order mandating the name change as part of a trade dispute between the US and Canada.
The decision to rename the lake aligns with Google's standard practice of matching local government geographic databases for bodies of water, according to the tech company. However, the move has been met with criticism from Canadian leaders, who argue that an Indigenous name cannot be erased by a presidential order.
Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney and Ontario Premier Doug Ford have both spoken out against the change, with Ford even going so far as to install a billboard on the Canadian shore proudly declaring 'Lake Ontario now and forever.'