Apple Maps changes Lake Ontario to Lake America, joining Google

Apple has altered its Maps service so that users in the United States see Lake Ontario labelled as Lake America, while users in Canada continue to see the original name. The change follows an executive order from President Donald Trump that directed the federal government to rename the lake after recent trade talks between the United States and Canada broke down. In response to the collapsed negotiations, Washington imposed a 50 % tariff on roughly $20 bn (£14.8 bn; C$28 bn) worth of Canadian goods. Google made a comparable adjustment for its U.S. users a few days earlier, prompting criticism on social media platforms. Canada has warned it will answer the tariffs with “dollar for dollar” counter‑measures. Prime Minister Mark Carney’s administration withdrew from the negotiations, citing what his office described as unacceptable demands. Carney urged the Trump administration to “start being serious” and to stop acting pugnaciously before any further dialogue can resume. The executive order gives the U.S. Department of the Interior 30 days to submit the name change to the Geographic Names Information Service, the official repository of place names within the country. Interior Secretary Doug Burgum confirmed that Apple was specifically pressed by the President to adopt the new label on its Maps platform to satisfy the order. Trump has also shared several AI‑generated videos on his social‑media accounts, including a clip that shows him kicking a sign reading Lake Ontario and replacing it with one that declares “Welcome to Lake America.” Along the lake’s shoreline, Canadian authorities have erected a new sign bearing the words “Lake Ontario. Now and Always.” Ontario Premier Doug Ford remarked, “Just in case President Trump or anyone else forgets, we've set up this sign to remind them, it's Lake Ontario, now and forever.”