Apple Maps renames Lake Ontario as Lake America after Trump order

What the report says

Apple has changed the label for Lake Ontario on its Maps app to “Lake America” for users in the United States, following an executive order from US President Donald Trump. According to BBC World News, the update does not apply in Canada, where the lake continues to appear as Lake Ontario. The report says Apple has not commented publicly on the move.

The naming change comes amid a widening trade dispute between the US and Canada. BBC World News reported that the Trump administration imposed new tariffs on Canadian goods after trade talks broke down, and that Canada has said it will answer with matching counter-tariffs. The article also says Prime Minister Mark Carney’s government ended the negotiations over demands it considered unacceptable.

Apple’s decision follows a similar change by Google, which recently adjusted the lake’s name for US-based users on its Maps service. The BBC noted that not all mapping platforms have adopted the new designation, with MapQuest saying it would not change the name. In the broader context, place-name changes on major digital platforms can become part of political disputes because map labels are widely seen by users as reflecting official recognition.

The lake sits between Ontario and New York and is one of the Great Lakes. The BBC also reported that local and federal Canadian figures have pushed back publicly against the renaming, underscoring how the issue has become symbolic as well as commercial.