Google Maps has begun displaying the name “Lake America” for users in the United States after President Donald Trump ordered the renaming of Lake Ontario, adding a new point of tension between Washington and Ottawa.
The change means people in the US will see “Lake America” on Google Maps, while users in Canada will continue to see “Lake Ontario”. People accessing the service from other countries will reportedly see both names.
Google said the decision follows the US Geographic Names Information System, the federal database used for official geographic names. The company said it updates its maps to reflect changes made by official government sources.
The move has drawn criticism in Canada, where Ontario Premier Doug Ford described the renaming as “absolutely backwards”.
“No one is going to call it Lake of America. It’s been Lake Ontario for hundreds of years, it’s going to continue being Lake Ontario,” Ford said in an interview with ABC.
Lake Ontario is the smallest of the five Great Lakes by surface area and sits along the border between Ontario and New York state. Its current name has been used for centuries and has Indigenous roots.
The dispute comes as relations between the two neighbouring countries have deteriorated over trade. Washington and Ottawa have imposed tariffs on each other, while negotiations on future trade arrangements have become increasingly difficult.
The automotive industry has become a major focus of the dispute. Canada exported C$78.6 billion in automotive products in 2025, with almost 95% of those exports going to the US, according to DesRosiers Automotive Consultants.
The two countries’ automotive industries are closely connected, with components frequently crossing the border several times before vehicles are completed.
The US currently applies a 25% tariff to the non-US content of Canadian-built vehicles. That rate is scheduled to rise to 50% from January 2027 following the breakdown of recent trade discussions.
Trump has also criticised Canadian automotive exports, saying he does not want Canadian vehicles or parts entering the US market.
Ford warned that a prolonged trade conflict would hurt businesses and consumers in both countries. He argued that tariffs on Canadian goods would ultimately increase costs for Americans.
The Lake Ontario dispute follows Trump’s earlier decision to rename the Gulf of Mexico as the Gulf of America in US federal usage. Mexico has rejected that change.
Apple Maps, meanwhile, continued displaying “Lake Ontario” for US users as of Sunday, meaning the two major mapping services currently differ over the lake’s name.
