Google Maps has renamed Lake Ontario as Lake America for U.S. users following an executive order by President Donald Trump, which directed federal agencies to adopt the new name. The change applies only to the U.S. version of Google Maps, with Canadian users still seeing Lake Ontario and international users viewing both names. The renaming is part of an escalating trade dispute between the U.S. and Canada, which has led to reciprocal tariffs on billions of dollars in goods.
The White House, Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney's office, and Ontario Premier Doug Ford's office did not immediately comment on the decision. Google stated that it updates map labels to reflect changes in official U.S. government sources, specifically the U.S. Geographic Names Information System (GNIS). This follows a similar change last year when Google renamed the Gulf of Mexico as the Gulf of America after Trump's executive order.
Canadian officials have rejected the name change. Carney emphasized that Lake Ontario derives from an Indigenous Wendat word dating back over 400 years. Ford unveiled a large sign reading Lake Ontario: Now and Always, and said the name will outlast the president. Ontario is reviewing government websites that pull map data from Google to ensure they continue using Lake Ontario.
Democratic New York Governor Kathy Hochul and Republican Vermont Governor Phil Scott also criticized the decision, with Scott calling it petty and disappointing. Trump responded with social media posts including AI-generated videos mocking Canada, further escalating the public spat between the two nations.