Ottawa Initiates Process to Rename Trump Avenue

Residents of an Ottawa neighborhood may see a major update to their street sign following a unanimous decision by Ottawa City Council on Wednesday. Councilors passed a preliminary measure to rename Trump Avenue, a residential street located in the Central Park community that took its name roughly 25 years ago alongside other New York City-themed streets like Staten Way, Madison Park, and Gotham Private.

Although Canada hosts several geographic features bearing the name—such as a Trump Lake in northern Ontario, alongside various islands and a creek—Trump Avenue in Ottawa stands as the country’s only street directly named after Donald Trump, according to City Councilor Tim Tierney.

Potential Replacement Names and International Tensions

A surge in trade friction between Canada and the United States, coupled with public comments from the US president, prompted local officials to review the street name. Tensions spiked further when Trump signed an executive order instructing the US government to refer to Lake Ontario as “Lake America,” an action mirroring his earlier designation of the Gulf of Mexico as the “Gulf of America.” Councilor Tierney noted that this dispute over Lake Ontario brought the street name issue back to the front burner.

Public suggestions for a new street name have varied widely. Ideas submitted to officials include Obama Avenue, Ontario Avenue, Canada Avenue, Beaver Avenue, Gulf of Mexico Avenue, Canada Goose Avenue, and Pelosi Avenue. Other options pitched include Rosie O’Donnell Avenue—referencing the comedian and longtime opponent of Trump who relocated to Ireland after his reelection—and Taco Avenue, an acronym short for “Trump Always Chickens Out.”

Community Voting Requirements and Next Steps

Changing the street’s identity requires meeting strict local guidelines and will not take effect immediately. According to Tierney, more than 50 percent of street residents must explicitly back the change before a formal public consultation phase can begin. Any official decision is expected to wait until after municipal elections scheduled for late October.

This initiative marks the second attempt by the municipality to revise the address. During a 2021 vote across the street’s 62 households, 21 residents supported a name change, 21 voted against it, and 20 households refrained from voting. Tierney explained that those opposing the proposal were not necessarily showing political support for Trump, but rather wanted to avoid the personal hassle of updating their home address records.

Focusing on Broader Trade Issues

Despite supporting the procedural vote, Tierney expressed caution about spending too much energy on municipal street signs while serious international trade matters remain unresolved. He urged officials and the public not to let public naming disputes derail focus from core economic concerns.

“The semantics of names, we can save that for another day in the future,” Tierney said. “Right now, I think our focus has to remain on trade and tariffs, something that this is just nothing more than a distraction from.”

Critiquing the recent executive order regarding Lake Ontario, Tierney added: “We see the president doing something the same and it’s tired. Stop with the lame name game and let’s get back to the table.”