Some Ontario government, business websites show ‘Lake America’ on maps

After Ontario Premier Doug Ford unveiled a sign declaring Lake Ontario to be "now and forever" Lake America, the province launched an investigation after some government websites displayed the incorrect name on their mapping applications. Stephen Crawford, minister of public and business service delivery and procurement, revealed on X that certain websites obtain map data directly from Google Maps.

When social media users noticed maps on sites such as Hydro One, Metrolinx, Infrastructure Ontario, and the LCBO all displayed "Lake America," the Premier's office confirmed the issue.

The name change occurred following U.S. President Donald Trump's executive order this week, which claimed the U.S. possesses the majority of the "volume" of Lake Ontario. This executive order also asserted U.S. responsibility for the body's security, economic activity, and environmental stewardship. In response, Google Maps updated its maps to reflect the name change from official government sources, including the U.S. Geographic Names Information Service (GNIS), which formally altered Lake Ontario to "Lake America" recently.

As a result, users in the U.S. will now see "Lake America" on Google Maps, while those in Canada will see Lake Ontario. Individuals from other countries will see a combination, with "Lake Ontario" listed but "Lake America" in parentheses. Several provincial government websites, including Hydro One's outage map, Infrastructure Ontario's list of properties, and Loblaws' store locator, have displayed the incorrect name, Global News confirmed.

Hydro One stated they are aware of the incorrect labeling on their outage map and are working with their vendor to correct the issue as soon as possible. Loblaws also apologized for any confusion caused. Global News reached out to the LCBO for comment. Google Maps, being the copyright holder and data provider for the maps on these websites, is listed as the source for the incorrect labeling.