Google has redesignated Lake Ontario as “Lake America” on maps viewed by US users, following an announcement by President Donald Trump that he was renaming the body of water. The move has drawn sharp criticism from Canadian officials, who have described the escalating cross-border tensions as “absolutely backwards.”
The tech giant confirmed that the change is specific to the United States. Users in Canada will continue to see the name Lake Ontario—an Indigenous-rooted term used since the 17th century—while users outside of North America will see both names displayed.
This nomenclatural spat is the latest development in the “America First” narrative, unfolding as the United States and Canada engage in a deepening trade war marked by tit-for-tat tariffs. As of Sunday morning, Apple’s Maps app had not reflected the change.
Google stated that the update aligns with the US Geographic Names Information System (GNIS), the official federal database for geographic nomenclature. “Since we update Google Maps to reflect name changes in official government sources, which is GNIS for the US, people using Maps in the US will see ‘Lake America,’ those in Canada will continue to see ‘Lake Ontario,’ and those outside of the US and Canada will see both names,” the company explained on its blog.
The decision mirrors a similar unilateral move by President Trump in January 2025, when he renamed the Gulf of Mexico to the “Gulf of America”—a designation that remains rejected by the Mexican government.
Ontario is the smallest of the five Great Lakes, which straddle the border between the Canadian province of Ontario and the US state of New York. Ontario’s Premier, Doug Ford, criticized both the trade dispute and the renaming of the lake during an appearance on the ABC talk show “This Week.”
“It’s absolutely backwards. It was like something out of ‘Saturday Night Live’ when he signed a document saying — changed to ‘Lake America.’ No one’s going to call it Lake of America,” Ford said, calling the situation “disappointing.”
Ford also warned of the economic risks, noting that a trade war would be “definitely devastating on the US,” particularly given Canada’s status as the largest purchaser of US-made vehicles. “A tariff on Canada is nothing more than a tax on American people,” he added. “It’s probably the worst move you could ever do.”
The two nations share a deeply integrated automotive sector, with a significant portion of parts for US vehicles manufactured in Canada. President Trump addressed the trade tensions on Sunday via his Truth Social platform, stating, “Canada has been ripping us off for years — NO LONGER!”
Leave a Reply