Google Maps now displays 'Lake America' instead of 'Lake Ontario' for users in the United States following President Donald Trump's executive order renaming the smallest of the five Great Lakes, while Canadian and international users continue to see the original name.
Google Maps has implemented changes to reflect an executive order issued by President Donald Trump renaming Lake Ontario to 'Lake America' within the United States. According to a statement from Google on Saturday, the company updated its mapping service to align with changes made to the U.S. Geographic Names Information System (GNIS), the federal authority that establishes official naming standards for American maps.
The renaming is part of escalating trade tensions between the United States and Canada. Trump announced the lake's name change on Thursday as part of a broader trade dispute that has prompted both nations to impose reciprocal tariffs on billions of dollars in goods. Google clarified that its decision affects only American users; Canadians will continue seeing 'Lake Ontario,' while users outside both countries will view both names simultaneously.
The move has drawn criticism from multiple Canadian officials and some American leaders. Ontario Premier Doug Ford unveiled a lakeside sign reading 'Lake Ontario: Now and Always' in both English and French, declaring that the world would maintain the original name regardless of the executive order. Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney rejected the change immediately. Democratic New York Governor Kathy Hochul stated that New York would not adopt the new name, while Republican Vermont Governor Phil Scott called the decision 'petty and disappointing.'
Ontario government officials reported on Sunday that some provincial websites had inadvertently displayed 'Lake America' after pulling map data directly from Google Maps. Minister Stephen Crawford announced the province was reviewing its websites to ensure they continue using the correct name: Lake Ontario. This approach mirrors Google's previous decision to rename the Gulf of Mexico to 'Gulf of America' on its U.S. maps following a similar Trump executive order.