Ontario Premier Doug Ford on Saturday unveiled a large billboard reading "Lake Ontario, Now and Always" along the Canadian shoreline, pushing back against President Donald Trump's recent move to rename the lake as "Lake America." The billboard comes amid a deepening rift between Washington and Ottawa following the collapse of trade negotiations earlier this month. The United States has imposed new tariffs on billions of dollars' worth of Canadian goods, while Canada has pledged retaliatory measures, with Ford emerging as one of the most vocal advocates for a tough response to the Trump administration. The Trump administration imposed tariffs of up to 50 percent on billions of dollars’ worth of Canadian goods on August 22, targeting products including agricultural goods, manufactured products and consumer items, on top of existing U.S. duties affecting sectors such as steel, aluminum and automobiles.
Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney said Ottawa would respond "dollar for dollar," announcing retaliatory tariffs on a wide range of U.S. products that will go into effect on September 8. The trade and naming dispute comes as Ford has seen a recent uptick in public support amid the tariff fight, while Trump has faced declining approval ratings in several recent national surveys. Both leaders remain underwater with voters, with disapproval ratings exceeding approval ratings in recent polling.
Ford, dressed in a red Team Canada soccer jersey, appeared in front of the bright blue billboard in a social media video announcing the display. Speaking to the camera he said, “Let’s be serious, long before President Trump this lake was called Lake Ontario, and long after President Trump is gone, it will still be called Lake Ontario.” “But just in case President Trump or anyone else forgets, we set up this sign to remind them, it’s Lake Ontario now and forever,” he added. The 24-by-12 foot billboard is located in Grimsby, Ontario, about 30 miles from the American side of Niagara Falls in upstate New York.
Ford and Trump exchanged barbs earlier this week, in which Ford said Republican U.S. President Ronald Reagan would be “throwing up” over Trump’s tariff policies and “disgusted with President Trump,” in an interview with the . Trump responded by calling Ford’s remarks “bluster” and said he is Carney’s “flunky.” He described Ford as the “less charismatic, intelligent, and overall unimpressive brother” of the late Toronto Mayor Rob Ford.
Lake Ontario's name comes from the Huron Indigenous people’s word “oniatarí:io,” which means “lake of shining waters.” The Canadian province of Ontario, founded in 1867, took its name from the lake. Trump's executive order directed the Interior Department and the U.S. Board on Geographic Names to replace "Lake Ontario" with "Lake America" in the federal Geographic Names Information System within 30 days.
Federal agencies must also use the new name on government maps, contracts, documents and other communications. The order described the lake as an important part of American history and commerce, citing its role in shipping, energy production and the War of 1812. It also argued that the U.S. had contributed more than Canada to protecting the Great Lakes and keeping their shipping routes open.
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