Apple Maps now displays “Lake America” instead of Lake Ontario for users in the United States, following Donald Trump’s executive order to rename the Great Lake. Users outside the US will continue to see the name Lake Ontario.
Canada rejects the renaming
The lake lies between New York state and Ontario, Canada. The United States cannot require Canada or other countries to adopt the new name.
Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney rejected the change, saying the name Lake Ontario comes from the language of the Indigenous Wendat people and predates both Canadian Confederation and the US Declaration of Independence.
Google changed its display first
Google Maps made the change earlier, saying it follows the US Geographic Names Information System. Its app shows Lake America to US users, Lake Ontario to users in Canada, and both names to users elsewhere.
MapQuest took the opposite position, retaining Lake Ontario after rejecting Trump’s request. The navigation app then reached the top spot on Apple’s US App Store after posting that it would not change the name.
The decision comes during a trade dispute
The renaming followed the collapse of trade talks between Washington and Ottawa. The United States later imposed a 50% tariff on several Canadian imports, while Trump threatened additional 50% duties on Canadian steel, trucks, cars and auto parts to begin in the new year.
Carney responded with tariffs ranging from 25% to 50% on hundreds of US goods. Trump’s order described the renaming as a way to honor the contributions of the American people and the country’s history, without mentioning the trade dispute.
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