Key Facts

• Lake Ontario is located on the border between the Canadian province of Ontario and the US state of New York.
• The name “Ontario” comes from a word in the Wendat language of the Indigenous Huron people, meaning “lake of shining waters” or “beautiful lake.”
• President Trump signed an executive order declaring the lake’s new name as “Lake America.”
• The order directs the US Secretary of the Interior to work with the Board on Geographic Names over 30 days to implement the change.
• This action is connected to ongoing trade disputes, including tariffs recently imposed by the US and retaliatory tariffs promised by Canada.
• Experts say the name change is unlikely to affect trade talks and could increase tensions between the US and Canada.
• Lake Ontario’s name has remained despite previous attempts by the French in the 17th and 18th centuries to rename it.
• The Canadian province nearby is named Ontario after the lake, which was officially established in 1867.