When logging on to Barrie Transit website, the new, controversial, American name of a iconic Canadian body of water appears. Under the ‘Schedules & Maps’ section of the Barrie transit website, an interactive map populates on the left side of the screen. When users click ‘View the Live Map for Fixed Routes,’ a map of Barrie transit routes appears and upon zooming out, the name Lake America appears in place of Lake Ontario. Although the name remains unchanged in Canada, on Thursday, United States President Donald Trump signed an executive order to have the lake renamed, amid a falling out of trade and tariff negotiations with Canada. On Friday, Ontario Premier Doug Ford unveiled a sign in Grimsby that reads ‘Lake Ontario, now and always.’ On Sunday, Metrolinx, Hydro One and LCBO come under public security for maps on their websites displaying the same name. Also on Sunday, Google Maps said it had formally changed the name of the cross-border lake to Lake America for U.S. users, while those in Canada will continue to see Lake Ontario. CTV News has reached out to the City of Barrie for details on why the map says Lake America.
