Independent coverage of America's newest geographic argument.
The file
Every entry carries the date it happened and the date we last re-checked it. Nothing here is published without a primary source or first-hand reporting behind it.
Maps · Canada — September 2, 2026
TechCrunch reported Sep. 2 that MapQuest reached No. 1 overall in the U.S. App Store after saying it would keep Lake Ontario. Sensor Tower estimated 632,000 U.S. downloads since the order; MapQuest claimed more than 1.5 million installs across the U.S. and Canada.
Read the storyMapQuest is now the No. 1 U.S. app after bucking the rename
Maps — September 1, 2026
Reuters reported on Sep. 1 that Apple Maps switched the label to Lake America for U.S. users while keeping Lake Ontario in Canada and showing both names elsewhere.
Public opinion · Government — September 1, 2026
A Reuters/Ipsos survey of 1,023 U.S. adults published Sep. 1 found 63% opposed the rename and 14% supported it — a rare case of a naming fight with hard numbers attached.
Reuters/Ipsos poll: most Americans oppose renaming Lake Ontario
Maps — August 29, 2026
Google Maps labels the lake Lake America for U.S. users, keeps Lake Ontario for Canadian users, and shows both names everywhere else — geography by jurisdiction rather than by cartography.
Google Maps naming announcementGoogle Maps will show Lake America in the U.S., not Lake Ontario
Government — August 27, 2026
On Aug. 27, 2026, President Donald Trump signed an executive order directing U.S. federal naming systems to use "Lake America." The order does not bind Canada or private mapmakers.