In 1867, Canada got new province named after Lake Ontario, over 150 years later iconic water body bordering New York and Toronto becomes center of Donald Trump trade tariffs, geo-political attention

Lake Ontario's name comes from the Huron Indigenous people's word 'oniatarío', which means “lake of shining waters,” and it predates European settlement in the region. The province, founded in 1867, took its name from the lake. The province has two prominent cities -- Canada's capital Ottawa and Toronto. With his trade war with Canada intensifying, US President Donald Trump floated the idea of renaming Lake Ontario to become “Lake America.” America's northern neighbours quickly panned the idea.

The United States of America and Canada, which share borders along multiple Great Lakes, including Lake Ontario, are locked in an extended trade dispute, with the Trump administration imposing 50 per cent tariffs on USD 20 billion worth of Canadian goods over the weekend after talks between the countries broke down. That ratcheted up lower tariffs that Trump imposed in 2025, shortly after his second presidency began. Trump has also threatened new 50 per cent tariffs on Canadian vehicles, auto parts and steel.