Key Points
- Google Maps changed Lake Ontario to Lake America for U.S. users following Trump's executive order.
- The change came amid a U.S.-Canada trade war featuring 50% tariffs and reciprocal retaliatory tariffs.
- Canadian Premier Ford rejected the change with a lakeshore billboard; Democratic lawmakers are preparing legislation to repeal the order.
- Apple Maps has not yet changed the name; Google defended the change as consistent with its international naming policy.
By the Numbers
Google Maps renamed Lake Ontario to 'Lake America' for U.S. users only following an executive order signed by U.S. President Donald Trump on Thursday. The company stated the change complies with its policy of naming water bodies differently per country. As of Sunday noon, Apple Maps had not yet made a change.
The name change occurred amid an escalating trade war between the two allies. After trade talks collapsed last weekend, Trump imposed tariffs of up to 50% on $20 billion worth of Canadian goods, and Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney vowed to retaliate 'dollar for dollar.' Trump's order came after Ontario Premier Doug Ford labeled Trump a 'tyrant' and 'loser' for starting the trade war.
Reactions in Canada were strong: Ford unveiled a massive billboard on the lakeshore reading 'Lake Ontario, Now and Forever,' emphasizing the name was Lake Ontario before Trump and will remain so after. In the U.S., Democratic Congressmembers from New York and Michigan plan to introduce the 'Hands Off Our Great Lakes Act' on Monday to overturn the executive order.
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Frequently Asked Questions
- Why did Google Maps change the name of Lake Ontario?
- An executive order signed by President Trump in August 2026 ordered the lake to be renamed 'Lake America'; Google complied per its long-standing policy of country-specific naming.
- Does the name change apply to all users?
- No, according to Google the change is visible only to users in the United States; users in other countries will continue to see 'Lake Ontario.'
- How did political circles in Canada and the U.S. react to the change?
- Canadian Premier Ford rejected it by unveiling a 'Lake Ontario, Now and Forever' billboard on the shore; U.S. Democratic lawmakers are drafting a bill to overturn the executive order.
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