Google Maps Updates Lake Ontario to Lake America Following Trump Decree Amid Canada Trade Tensions

A family walks by a sign reading 'Lake Ontario, Now and Always' in English and French near Grimsby, Ontario, on August 29, 2026. Google has updated the name of Lake Ontario to Lake America on its maps in the United States following an order by US President Donald Trump as trade tensions escalate with Canada.

The tech giant stated on Saturday that the name will be updated for US users while continuing to appear as Lake Ontario in Canada. Individuals outside the US and Canada will see both names displayed. Google noted that the decision aligns with updates made by the US Geographic Names Information System (GNIS).

“These updates follow our long-standing policy for bodies of water with names that vary from country to country, and are starting to roll out now,” the company stated. Users in the US began reporting the update on Sunday. Google implemented a similar policy last year after US President Donald Trump unilaterally renamed the Gulf of Mexico as the Gulf of America.

Meanwhile, Apple Maps, which adopted the name change for the Gulf of Mexico, still displays the body of water as Lake Ontario for US users as of Sunday. The Trump administration announced the renaming of the lake—located between the Canadian province of Ontario and the US state of New York—on Thursday as a retaliatory measure against Canada following failed trade negotiations.

Earlier this month, US President Donald Trump levied 50 percent tariffs on select Canadian products after both nations failed to secure a trade agreement. Canada responded by implementing comparable levies. On Wednesday, Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney highlighted the Indigenous origins of the name Ontario in a social media post.

“The name Lake Ontario comes from the Wendat word Ontari’io, which, appropriately, means ‘the lake is beautiful, the lake is big,’” he wrote. “The name is more than 400 years old, predating both the Confederation of Canada and the Declaration of Independence of the United States of America.” Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney added that despite changes to US foreign policy, trade relationships, and geographic names, reality dictates calling it Lake Ontario.

US President Donald Trump has posted several messages celebrating the rename, including an AI-generated video shared on Saturday featuring Canadian geese with his hairstyle patrolling “Lake America” while carrying machine guns. Critics have dismissed the policy as a distraction from pressing domestic issues like the rising cost of living.

On Sunday, Ontario Premier Doug Ford criticized the move during an interview with the US network ABC News, comparing it to a sketch from Saturday Night Live. “No one’s going to call it Lake America. It’s been Lake Ontario for hundreds of years. It’s going to continue to be Lake Ontario,” Ontario Premier Doug Ford stated.

The controversy builds upon ongoing trade conflicts between the US and Canada. Since returning to the White House last year, US President Donald Trump has relied on tariffs to address perceived trade imbalances with international partners. Canada, historically a close US ally and the third largest exporter to the country, has frequently been targeted during these trade disputes. Beyond economic tensions, US President Donald Trump has repeatedly questioned the sovereignty of Canada, previously referring to former Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau as a governor during his second term. Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney assumed office in March 2025 with an agenda centered on addressing the evolving dynamics with the US.