Maple Express | Aug 25, 2026 Trump Threatens to Rename Lake Ontario to 'Lake America'

1. Trump Threatens to Rename Lake Ontario to 'Lake America'

Source: CP24

U.S. President Donald Trump said Tuesday morning that he is considering renaming Lake Ontario to "Lake America," writing on Truth Social that the U.S. does not expect to be doing much business with Ontario any longer.

It would not be the first time Trump has renamed a body of water — he previously renamed the Gulf of Mexico to the Gulf of America, a change now reflected on Google Maps.

The threat came less than 24 hours after Trump vowed to raise tariffs to 50 per cent on all Canadian cars, trucks, automotive parts and steel on New Year's Day. Ontario Premier Doug Ford lashed out, calling Trump a "loser," a "bully" and the "king of bankruptcies," while Trump called Ford "the less charismatic, intelligent, and overall unimpressive brother of the late, great Rob Ford."

On Tuesday, Ford told CNN the temperature needs to come down, saying "it's time to get back to the table and let's negotiate a fair deal."

2. Canada Announces Retaliatory Tariffs on Hundreds of U.S. Products

Source: CP24

The federal government announced Tuesday its plan to hit the United States with dollar-for-dollar counter-tariffs affecting hundreds of American products.

The move comes after U.S. President Donald Trump's 50 per cent tariffs on roughly $28 billion worth of Canadian goods came into effect over the weekend, following the breakdown of trade talks.

Officials said the list of tariffed items was designed to match the U.S. levies on Canadian goods, with individual product rates based on matching the U.S. rate for the same goods. For example, tariffs on steel and aluminum imports from the U.S. will now go from 25 to 50 per cent, as will tariffs on furniture and clothing.

Sources also said the federal government will announce an expansion of Employment Insurance (EI) to help domestic workers impacted by U.S. tariffs, with four ministers including the finance minister set to announce the measures Tuesday morning.

3. Doug Ford Tones Down Rhetoric in War of Words with Donald Trump

Source: CP24

Ontario Premier Doug Ford has toned down his rhetoric in the war of words with U.S. President Donald Trump.

Ford said on CNN that it is better to bring the temperature down between the two countries as the trade war escalates.

Ford said he wants a deal that will bring the cost of living down on both sides of the border, which he says cannot be done with tariffs. Earlier Tuesday, Trump mused about changing the name of Lake Ontario to Lake America, which Ford did not comment on.

Trade negotiations between Canada and the United States fell apart last week, which Prime Minister Mark Carney said was due to the Trump administration introducing unacceptable measures including restrictions on Canada's ability to sign deals with other countries. On Monday, Ford told Trump to "kiss my ass," prompting Trump to call the premier the less charismatic and less intelligent brother of the late Rob Ford.

4. TTC Cooling Tower Source of Legionnaires' Disease Outbreak: Public Health

Source: CP24

Public health officials in Toronto say they have identified a Toronto Transit Commission cooling tower as the source of a recent outbreak of legionnaires' disease.

Officials said they investigated an outbreak of six confirmed cases within about a one-kilometre radius of the intersection of Bathurst and Dupont streets. A cooling tower at the TTC's Hillcrest Complex was determined to be the source after samples collected from the tower matched a sample from a legionnaires' case.

Officials also identified a possible epidemiological link between this outbreak and five legionnaires' disease cases at Castleview Wychwood Towers, a long-term care home in the area. The affected cooling equipment has been shut down.

The disease is caused by legionella bacteria found in water sources, and can be contracted by breathing in small droplets of water containing the bacteria. Officials said the disease does not spread person to person and the risk to the public remains low.

5. Vehicle Falls into Sinkhole in East York as Crews Repaired Broken Watermain

Source: CP24

New video has surfaced of a vehicle being recovered from a sinkhole in East York, after city officials say the driver drove onto a stretch of roadway compromised by a broken watermain.

Bill Shea, director of distribution and collection of Toronto Water, said crews were called to the Parkview Hills neighbourhood near O'Connor Drive and St. Clair Avenue East on Monday after a watermain broke. At one point, a vehicle drove over a stretch of roadway that had been undermined and broke through the asphalt.

Toronto Police Service attended the scene and a tow was dispatched. The video shows the vehicle, which appears to be a Honda CR-V SUV, being dragged out of the pit as a substantial amount of water pours from its front grill. It is unclear if the driver sustained any injuries.

6. Police Seek Info After 5 Statues Stolen from Richmond Hill Park

Source: CP24

Police in York Region say that a 200-pound "distinctive" bronze turtle and four other statues were recently stolen from a park in Richmond Hill.

The theft occurred at Lake Wilcox Park, near Bayview Avenue and Stouffville Road. Const. James Dickson said the incident was reported to police on Aug. 12, though they have yet to confirm when the statues were stolen. The turtle statue, crafted by artist Steve Worthington, was observed missing on Aug. 11.

Calling it an "especially troubling theft," Dickson said the sculptures are likely "by now ... been melted down." There are no suspect or vehicle descriptions at this time. Anyone with information is asked to contact York Regional Police or Crime Stoppers anonymously.

7. Driver Charged in Fatal Pedestrian Collision in Newmarket

Source: CP24

York Regional Police say charges have been laid against a driver who struck and killed a pedestrian in Newmarket late Monday night.

The collision occurred near Davis Drive and Parkside Drive shortly before 11 p.m. A female pedestrian suffered serious injuries and was later pronounced dead in hospital.

The driver, a 22-year-old man, remained on scene and was subsequently charged with dangerous operation causing death. He is expected to appear in court on Tuesday.

8. Ontario Students Brace for Debt Amid OSAP Changes, Tuition Increases

Source: CP24

Post-secondary students across Ontario are bracing for the impact of changes to student financial aid and tuition increases as a new school year approaches.

Earlier this year, Premier Doug Ford's government sharply cut student assistance grants, citing "unsustainable" costs. As of Aug. 1, the proportion of non-repayable grants a student can receive through the Ontario Student Assistance Program (OSAP) was reduced from 85 per cent to a maximum of 25 per cent, with the rest given as loans. The province also lifted a seven-year tuition freeze, allowing colleges and universities to raise tuition by up to two per cent per year for the next three years.

Aidan Jeffers, an incoming master's student at the University of Toronto, said he is working two jobs and plans to work 25 to 30 hours a week during the school year, and may even need to rely on food banks. He said he will receive around $19,500 this year, of which $12,000 will go toward tuition, and is incurring "a vast amount more debt."

Rory Norris, president of the Ontario Undergraduate Student Alliance, said OSAP is students' highest-ranked source of support, ahead of part-time jobs and family, with over 80 per cent of students saying it is their top form of financial aid. He also called for the OSAP repayment grace period to be extended past six months.

9. Sea Lion with Plastic Band Around Neck Rescued on Vancouver Island

Source: CP24

A sea lion that had a plastic packing band wrapped around its neck can now swim freely thanks to intervention from staff at the Vancouver Aquarium Marine Mammal Rescue Society.

The entangled adult male California sea lion was reported to rescuers on Aug. 1. The team waited for a safe weather window, which arrived on Aug. 17, and successfully detangled the 280-kilogram sea lion at Race Rocks Ecological Reserve near Metchosin.

VAMMR head veterinarian Dr. Martin Haulena used a dart gun to sedate the animal before removing the band. He said the injuries are preventable and that about 60 per cent of sea lion entanglements the organization responds to involve plastic packing bands.

10. Sun Life and Wilton Re to Form Reinsurance and Asset Management Partnership

Source: CP24

Sun Life Financial Inc. has signed a deal with U.S. reinsurance company Wilton Re to form a strategic reinsurance and asset management partnership.

The companies say Windsor Life Re will combine Wilton Re's liability management expertise with Sun Life's insurance and asset management capabilities. The partnership is expected to deploy about US$900 million, anchored by capital commitments from Sun Life and Wilton Re.

Windsor Life Re will be managed by Wilton Re, while SLC Management, Sun Life's global institutional alternatives asset manager, will be the lead asset manager. The partnership is expected to launch in the first half of 2027, subject to regulatory approvals. Wilton Re is owned by the Canada Pension Plan Investment Board.