Google Maps has begun displaying the name "Lake America" instead of Lake Ontario to users in the United States, in compliance with an executive order issued by US President Donald Trump. The change is limited to American users, while the name “Lake Ontario” remains in Canada and the two names appear together outside the two countries, amid Canadian rejection of the decision.
Published on: 01/09/2026 - 00:53 Last updated: 01/09/2026 - 10:54
Google announced that its mapping service has begun displaying the name “Lake America” instead of Lake Ontario for users in the United States, in line with an executive order issued by US President Donald Trump to change the name of the lake.
On Thursday, Trump announced the name change of the smallest of the five Great Lakes, in the midst of an escalating trade dispute with Canada that prompted the two countries to impose mutual customs duties on billions of dollars in goods.
The presidential order includes the US Geographic Names Information System, which sets standards for official maps within the United States, without changing Canadian naming rules or the name used for the lake in the rest of the world.
Google explained in a post on its blog on Saturday that it is updating its maps based on the changes contained in official government sources, including the US Geographic Names Information System.
She added that users inside the United States will see the name “Lake America,” while the name “Lake Ontario” will continue to appear for users in Canada, while the two names will appear together for users outside the two countries.
Read also: Canada: Did the “Francophone exception” for Quebec cause trade negotiations with Washington to falter?
There has been no comment yet from the White House, Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney's office, or Ontario Premier Doug Ford's office on Google's decision.
Google Maps previously made a similar change last year regarding the Gulf of Mexico, as it began displaying the name “Gulf of America” following an executive order issued by Trump on the first day of his term to change the name of the body of water.
In Canada, Carney on Thursday refused to change the name of the lake. Democratic New York State Governor Kathy Hochul also announced that "New York will not call the lake by that name."
For his part, Republican Vermont Governor Phil Scott described Trump's decision on social media as "frivolous and disappointing."
In Ontario, Ford unveiled on Saturday a large sign on the banks of the lake that read in English and French: “Lake Ontario: Now and Always.”
“President Trump can call it whatever he wants, but I assure you the rest of the world will still call it Lake Ontario,” Ford said.
France 24/Reuters
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