Google Maps now show ‘Lake America’ in US, not ‘Lake Ontario’

Google Maps has updated its maps for U.S. users, replacing the name "Lake Ontario" with "Lake America" in line with President Donald Trump's executive order. This change stems from an escalating trade dispute between the U.S. and Canada, which has led to reciprocal tariffs on billions of dollars' worth of goods. The order targets the U.S. Geographic Names Information System (GNIS), which governs official U.S. maps and names.

However, this decision does not affect the lake's name in Canada or its global recognition. When users access Google Maps in the U.S., they will now see "Lake America," while those in Canada and other regions will continue to see "Lake Ontario." Google's statement on its blog post explains that they update their maps based on official government sources, such as the GNIS for the U.S. The White House, Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney's office, and Ontario Premier Doug Ford's office have not commented on Google's decision as of Sunday.

The change in naming comes after a similar action taken by Google last year, when they renamed the Gulf of Mexico to "Gulf of America" following Trump's executive order. Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney dismissed the name change, while Democratic Governor Kathy Hochul of New York and Republican Governor Phil Scott of Vermont expressed their disapproval through social media.

Ontario Premier Doug Ford unveiled a sign stating, "Lake Ontario: Now and Always" in both English and French, asserting that the world will continue to refer to the lake as "Lake Ontario." The Ontario government, including a minister, is actively reviewing its websites to ensure they still identify the lake as "Lake Ontario." Some Ontario government agency websites rely on Google Maps for map data, prompting the review.