WASHINGTON, Aug 28: A new dispute between the United States and Canada has emerged after President Donald Trump signed an executive order directing the US government to rename Lake Ontario as “Lake America” in official federal references.
The decision, announced on Thursday, applies to US government agencies, maps, documents and other federal communications. Canada, however, is under no obligation to recognise the new name, leaving the historic designation of Lake Ontario unchanged on the Canadian side of the border. The White House has directed the Department of the Interior and the US Board on Geographic Names to update the federal naming system within 30 days.
The move comes at a time of heightened tensions between Washington and Ottawa, following the collapse of recent trade negotiations and an escalating dispute over tariffs.
Canada Rejects Name Change
Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney dismissed the US decision, stressing the long history of the name Lake Ontario and its Indigenous roots. He said the name predates both modern Canada and the United States and made clear that Canada would continue to use the existing name.
New York Governor Kathy Hochul also rejected the change, saying the state would not adopt the new designation. New York is the only US state that directly borders Lake Ontario.
The name Ontario is linked to the Wendat language and has been in use for more than four centuries. The decision has also drawn criticism from Indigenous representatives and political leaders on both sides of the border.
Trump Floats More Geographic Name Changes
Speaking after signing the order, Trump also suggested that the Atlantic or Pacific Ocean could potentially be renamed in the future.
The Lake Ontario decision follows Trump’s earlier move in 2025 to change the US federal name of the Gulf of Mexico to the “Gulf of America.” As with the latest order, the change applied to US government usage and did not compel other countries to follow the American nomenclature.
With US-Canada trade relations already under strain, the latest naming dispute is unlikely to ease tensions between the two neighbours. While federal agencies in the United States prepare to implement the new designation, Canada has made its position clear: the body of water will continue to be known there as Lake Ontario.
