WASHINGTON: Google Maps has begun displaying “Lake America” instead of “Lake Ontario” for users in the United States, following President Donald Trump’s executive order to rename the Great Lake amid escalating tensions between the United States and Canada.
The change has created a new point of friction between the two neighbouring countries, with Canadian officials rejecting the renamed title and insisting that the body of water will continue to be known as Lake Ontario in Canada.
Google Follows US Government Naming Database
Google said the change was made because the US Geographic Names Information System (GNIS), the federal database used for official geographic names in the United States, has formally updated the lake’s name.
The company said Google Maps follows a longstanding policy of reflecting official government geographic names where names differ between countries.
As a result, users accessing Google Maps from the United States will see “Lake America”, while users in Canada will continue to see “Lake Ontario.” People using Google Maps outside the US and Canada will see both names.
Canada Rejects the Name Change
The renaming has been strongly criticized in Canada.
Ontario Premier Doug Ford rejected the change and said Canadians would continue to call the body of water Lake Ontario. He also unveiled a large sign near Grimsby reading “Lake Ontario. Now and Always” in both English and French.
Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney has also dismissed the US move, pointing to the historical and Indigenous origins of the name Ontario.
The name “Ontario” comes from a Wendat term and has been used for centuries, long before the formation of modern Canada or the United States.
Name Change Comes Amid Trade Tensions
The dispute over the lake’s name comes at a particularly tense moment in US-Canada relations.
Trump’s executive order followed a breakdown in trade negotiations between Washington and Ottawa. The two countries have imposed tariffs and retaliatory measures on each other’s goods, adding pressure to an already strained relationship.
The renaming is therefore being viewed not simply as a geographic change but also as a symbolic political gesture in the broader dispute between the two countries.
Similar Move Made Over Gulf of Mexico
This is not the first time Google Maps has changed a geographic name following a Trump administration order.
Earlier, Google changed “Gulf of Mexico” to “Gulf of America” for users in the United States after Trump ordered the name change. Canada and Mexico did not adopt the new US designation.
Google’s approach is to display geographic names according to the official naming systems applicable to different regions.
Apple Maps Keeps Lake Ontario Name
Google’s decision has also highlighted a difference among major mapping platforms.
As of Sunday, Apple Maps continued to display “Lake Ontario” for US users, while Google Maps had already implemented the “Lake America” label. MapQuest has also said it will not change the name on its maps.
This means users of different mapping services may currently see different names for the same body of water.
What the Executive Order Actually Changes
The US executive order affects the official naming used by US federal agencies and the US Geographic Names Information System. It does not automatically change Canada’s official geographic naming conventions or compel Canadian authorities to adopt the new name.
Lake Ontario sits between Ontario, Canada, and New York State, making the naming dispute particularly sensitive because the lake is shared by both countries.
For now, the same body of water effectively has different official labels depending on which side of the border a person is viewing it from.
Google Maps’ decision has added another layer to the growing US-Canada dispute, turning a geographic name into a symbol of the increasingly strained relationship between the two countries.
