Some Canadian websites, including those for the federal government, exhibited maps featuring Lake Ontario labeled as Lake America on Sunday, following an announcement by Google Maps to comply with a directive from U.S. President Donald Trump.
Google stated in a post on its corporate website on Saturday that it adjusted the name due to an official renaming of the lake in the U.S. government’s geographic names database.
Although Google mentioned that the alteration would impact U.S. users only, several Ontario and Canadian websites displayed Lake America on maps. These included Hydro One’s outage map, the Liquor Control Board of Ontario (LCBO) store locator, GO Transit’s station finder, and the federal government’s housing and infrastructure map.
Upon being notified of the discrepancy, a Hydro One spokesperson informed CBC News via email that the issue stemmed from a third-party mapping service and expressed regret for the mistake. They assured that efforts were in progress to rectify the error promptly.
Metrolinx, the agency overseeing GO Transit, acknowledged the issue and affirmed their commitment to ensuring that all websites correctly identify Lake Ontario by its proper name.
By Sunday evening, the problematic GO Transit map had been disabled, and the LCBO map had been reinstated to display Lake Ontario.
In contrast, MapQuest, a U.S.-based online mapping service, declared on social media that it would retain the lake’s original name, while Apple refrained from publicly addressing the situation.
Google later clarified that website developers embedding Google Maps could localize the map by selecting a specific region, ensuring the correct display of place names based on the chosen region.
Tech analyst Carmi Levy explained that many Canadian websites, including those of Hydro One and the LCBO, utilize Google’s API for mapping services, which automatically switched to displaying Lake America due to the API’s lack of location awareness.
Levy emphasized the simplicity of Google’s suggested solution for developers to localize maps by setting their region to Canada. However, the widespread awareness and implementation of this setting among developers may vary, leading to mixed outcomes until the issue is resolved.
Google Maps, tailored to a user’s location, continues to display Lake Ontario for Canadian users, even if they search for Lake America. Levy noted that Google had globally updated its search index to include Lake America as a searchable term, with Lake Ontario in brackets for searches outside North America.
The situation underscores the implications of Canada’s reliance on American technology for online services, highlighting the need for a more digitally sovereign approach.
Ontario Premier Doug Ford vehemently opposed the name change, affirming that Lake Ontario’s historical name would persist despite external pressures. Ford publicly unveiled a sign in Winona, Ont., reiterating the lake’s enduring identity as Lake Ontario.
In response to the escalating tensions between the U.S. and Canada, both countries have engaged in retaliatory measures following the breakdown of trade negotiations. The federal government unveiled retaliatory measures, while New York Governor Kathy Hochul reiterated her state’s commitment to referring to the lake as Lake Ontario.
The conflict between Trump and Ford intensified, with both leaders exchanging insults before Ford emphasized the importance of standing up to unwarranted attacks on Canada.
While Trump signed an executive order to rename Lake Ontario, similar to a previous order for the Gulf of Mexico, the changes primarily affect U.S. federal documents and services. The online confusion surrounding these changes mirrors the current situation with Lake Ontario, according to tech expert Carmi Levy.