Google Updates US Maps to Display Lake Ontario as Lake America

Google has updated its mapping application for users in the United States to display Lake Ontario as "Lake America," following a recent executive order issued by US President Donald Trump.

According to a statement from the technology giant, the change follows its long-standing policy regarding bodies of water with varying international names, relying on designations assigned by the US Geographic Names Information System. Under the update, users accessing Google Maps within the US will see "Lake America," Canadian users will continue to see "Lake Ontario," and users outside North America will see both names displayed.

Political and Public Backlash

The executive order renaming the border lake comes amid an escalating trade war between the US and Canada, which has seen both nations place billions of dollars in tariffs on each other's products. The decision has drawn widespread criticism from Canadian officials, Indigenous leaders, and US state governors.

Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney immediately rejected the executive order. Ontario Premier Doug Ford responded by unveiling a large bilingual sign on the Canadian shoreline reading "Lake Ontario. Now and always," stating that the rest of the world will continue to use the traditional name.

Indigenous leaders expressed strong outrage over the rename. According to the Chiefs of Ontario, the name "Ontario" originates from the Kanyen'kéha (Mohawk) word Oniatari:io, meaning "beautiful lake" or "sparkling water." Grand Chief Pierre Picard of the Wendat Nation in Quebec condemned the order, accusing President Trump of attempting to erase Indigenous history.

Reactions in the US and Tech Landscape

In the US, New York Governor Kathy Hochul declared her state would not adopt the new name, while Vermont Governor Phil Scott described the presidential order as petty and disappointing. Meanwhile, competing mapping service MapQuest declined to implement the name change and launched a feature allowing users to customize the lake's label.

The update also caused technical issues in Canada. Ontario Minister Stephen Crawford noted that several provincial government websites automatically pull map data from Google Maps, briefly displaying "Lake America" on sites including the Liquor Control Board of Ontario. Officials are currently reviewing provincial websites to ensure the correct name is displayed.