In a recent development, Canadian websites, including government portals and major banks, have begun displaying maps showing Lake Ontario as Lake America. This change came in response to an executive order issued by U.S. President Donald Trump in the context of ongoing trade tensions.
Google, in compliance with the order, updated its maps for U.S. users and offered an option for non-American websites to revert to the original label “Lake Ontario” by adjusting their map settings to Canada. The company clarified that this adjustment aligns with its established policy for bodies of water with differing names across borders.
Following this, Trump reportedly reached out to Apple, urging the tech giant to reflect the change on its platforms. Apple has yet to comment on this matter despite repeated inquiries from CBC News. The reliance on mapping services provided by American tech companies, such as Google and Apple, extends beyond navigation for millions of users and influences various aspects of Canadian businesses.
Emily Osborne, a policy research associate at the Canadian Shield Institute, highlighted the dependence on U.S.-based tech firms for crucial digital services in Canada. She suggested considering Dutch companies like TomTom and HERE Technologies as potential alternatives for navigation services. Osborne also raised concerns about the vulnerability of Canadian businesses to potential disruptions or restrictions on U.S.-owned digital infrastructure, emphasizing the need for diversification in such critical dependencies.