Google Maps changes Lake Ontario to 'Lake America' in US
The name change even made its way to some government websites in Canada which pull map data from Google Maps. Meanwhile, Ontario Premier Doug Ford made his position clear by erecting a billboard on the shore of the lake.
Google Maps altered the name of Lake Ontario to "Lake America" for US users, following President Donald Trump's order to rename the lake. This update was a result of Google's policy to reflect official government sources, specifically the US Geographic Names Information System (GNIS), which the US updated. While US users will now see "Lake America," Canadians and non-US/non-Canada users will continue to see "Lake Ontario."
Google's decision aligns with its 2025 move to label the Gulf of Mexico as the "Gulf of America," which was met with a lawsuit from Mexico. Ontario Premier Doug Ford emphasized that the world will always refer to the lake as "Lake Ontario," despite Trump's change. Some Canadian government websites, which use Google Maps for mapping, automatically updated to reflect the new name, including the Liquor Control Board of Ontario.
Ontario's public services minister confirmed they are reviewing their websites to ensure they use the correct name.
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