Oswego mayor vows to keep Lake Ontario name despite Trump’s renaming push

Oswego’s mayor, Robert Corradino, declared that his community will not recognize the Trump administration’s executive order to rename Lake Ontario as “Lake America.” He emphasized that the lake’s name, rooted in Indigenous language and over four centuries old, is central to the city’s heritage and economic vitality, especially for charter boats and cruise tourism. Despite the name appearing on Google and Apple Maps for U.S. users, Oswego will keep existing signs, tourism brochures, and official communications unchanged.

Corradino linked the naming dispute to a broader decline in Canadian visitors, noting a recent 10.6% drop in cross-border travel. Other U.S. politicians, including Hillary Clinton and Bernie Sanders, have also criticized the renaming, while Ontario Premier Doug Ford installed a reminder sign affirming the lake’s historic name.