City council unanimously backs move to begin renaming process for Ottawa street that has carried Donald Trump’s name for about 25 years

Ottawa City Council in Canada has taken the first step towards renaming Trump Avenue, a residential street named after US President Donald Trump, amid renewed tensions between Canada and the United States over trade, tariffs and diplomatic relations.

The council voted unanimously to begin the process of considering a new name for the street, located in Ottawa’s Central Park neighbourhood, which has carried Trump’s name for about 25 years.

Several alternative names have been suggested, including Obama Avenue, Ontario Avenue, Canada Avenue, Beaver Avenue and the more provocative Taco Avenue.

Councillor Tim Tierney said the renewed push to change the name was partly prompted by Trump’s repeated criticism of Canada and his administration’s moves to rename geographical landmarks.

The Ottawa council’s decision came a day before Trump directed the US government to refer to Lake Ontario as “Lake America”, following his controversial decision to rename the Gulf of Mexico as the “Gulf of America”.

Tierney said more than half of the residents living on Trump Avenue would have to support the proposed name change before the process could proceed to a formal public consultation.

However, the consultation is not expected to begin in earnest until after Ottawa’s municipal elections in October.

The proposal to rename the street is not new.

In 2021, residents of the 62-household street were asked whether they wanted the name changed. The vote ended in a 21-21 tie, while 20 residents did not participate.

Tierney said some residents who opposed the change at the time were motivated by concerns over the inconvenience and cost of changing their addresses, rather than by support for Trump.

While several places in Canada bear the Trump name, including Trump Lake in northern Ontario, Tierney said Trump Avenue is the only location in Ottawa specifically named after the US president.

Despite supporting the process, Tierney cautioned against allowing the naming dispute to overshadow more serious issues affecting Canada-US relations.

He urged officials to remain focused on the broader trade dispute, particularly tariffs and their potential impact on businesses and consumers in both countries.

The proposal comes at a time of heightened tensions between Ottawa and Washington, with disagreements over trade and Trump's policies towards Canada adding to an increasingly strained bilateral relationship.