Washington: Google has modified its Maps service to reflect a US government directive renaming Lake Ontario to Lake America, a move highlighting escalating diplomatic tensions between Washington and Ottawa. 'Since we update Google Maps to reflect name changes in official government sources ... people using Maps in the US will see 'Lake America',' Google said Saturday.
According to Anadolu Agency, US President Donald Trump, who ordered the change, also noted Google's move on Truth Social, writing: 'Google Maps changes Lake Ontario to 'Lake America' on US phones.' The company clarified that users in Canada will continue to see Lake Ontario, while those outside the two countries will be presented with both names as Lake Ontario (Lake America).
The update follows the formal change by the US Geographic Names Information System, the federal body responsible for standardizing geographic names. In January 2025, just after returning to the Oval Office for his second term, Trump also ordered the Gulf of America renamed the Gulf of Mexico, resulting in a similar name change for US users of Google Maps, but not for Mexican users, and with both names included internationally.
The Lake Ontario/America adjustment stems from an executive order signed by Trump directing American agencies to use the new name in all official databases. Trump said the change would take effect immediately in response to recent trade friction. Ontario Premier Doug Ford rejected the move, unveiling a new Lake Ontario sign on Saturday to emphasize the body of water's historical designation. Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney also denounced the executive order, citing the Wendat, an Indigenous people of North America, as the source of the original name.
The naming dispute coincides with an intensified trade war. Canada will impose counter-tariffs of 15%-50% on $20 billion worth of US imports starting on Sept. 8. The measures follow the breakdown of Canada-US trade negotiations and the subsequent imposition of 50% US tariffs on CAN$27.6 billion worth of Canadian goods on Aug. 22.