In a quiet, tree-lined enclave of Ottawa's west end, a street name that has stood for more than two decades is suddenly controversial. Residents who have long lived on Trump Avenue are pushing to remove the name after recent U.S. policy moves and public comments inflamed sentiment in Canada.
The debate around a single street sign captures a broader shift in Canadian behavior - one that extends beyond symbolic acts to concrete economic decisions. New tariffs imposed by the U.S. and an executive order renaming Lake Ontario as "Lake America," have provoked anger and a surge of patriotic sentiment among Canadians who had previously been more conciliatory toward their southern neighbor.
For resident Diane Hosker, the name has long been awkward. "I just don’t like the way he makes fun of Canada," she said, adding that it is embarrassing to tell people she lives on a street named after Trump. Hosker has lived on the avenue for more than 20 years, in a neighborhood known for U.S.-themed street names such as Central Park, Bloomingdale Street and Gotham Private.
Municipal leaders are responding. Ottawa City Councillor Riley Brockington said he is taking steps to rename the street. He proposed options that range from an acronym referencing a critical phrase to honoring a former U.S. president. "Street names in Canada’s capital are named after people of honor and integrity and (who) work in partnership, in this case, with Canada," Brockington said. "(Trump) does not meet any of those standards." The White House did not respond to a request for comment.
Public opinion reflects a country broadly supportive of decisive government action. An Abacus Data poll released last week found that more than 70% of Canadians back Prime Minister Mark Carney’s decision to suspend trade talks with the U.S., even though respondents acknowledge potential job losses and economic uncertainty. By contrast, a separate Reuters/Ipsos poll found only 20% of Americans support the tariffs on Canadian goods and even fewer agree with the renaming of the lake.
The rift is producing tangible shifts in business decisions and personal choices.
- Supply chains and sourcing: Ashley Chapman, chief operating officer of Chapman’s Ice Cream, said his family-owned company has pivoted away from U.S. ingredients following the first round of tariffs. Chapman aims to reduce U.S. ingredient usage by 70% by mid-2027 and has already cut ties with nine long-standing U.S. suppliers, turning instead to suppliers in Australia and Chile. He also said the firm will not raise consumer prices despite potential pressure on profit margins. "That is a price I’m willing to pay, to say that we will not be bullied and we will not be treated like this by what used to be our closest ally and friend," Chapman said.
- Academia and talent flows: Some dual citizens and expatriates are accelerating returns to Canada. Sara Seager, a Canadian-American astrophysicist who left MIT, is moving to Toronto after being recruited by the University of Toronto under a government program to attract top academics. When she renewed her Canadian passport, she said she explained how Prime Minister Carney is allocating more than a billion dollars to recruit talent and bolster Canada’s sovereignty in technology, trade and defense. She described the pride she observed in passport offices as "heart-melting."
- Consumer behavior and travel: Individuals report canceling subscriptions to U.S. streaming services and avoiding travel south of the border while the current U.S. administration remains in power. Dave Samojlenko, a 53-year-old programmer in Ottawa, said he has not visited the U.S. since the administration took office and likely will not for some time. Travel statistics align with these reports: visits to the United States declined by 10.6% in the first three months of the year from a year earlier, and spending on U.S. travel fell 13.6% to C$5 billion, as domestic tourism gained ground. Travel agents are also noticing fewer U.S.-bound bookings and a preference among clients to keep dollars in Canada or shift spending to Europe, according to Edmonton-based agent Megan Woodward.
Executives and small business owners describe supply-chain adjustments as a form of protection. "We’ve got years left of Trump in power and we need to figure out how we insulate ourselves," Chapman said, explaining a strategic shift to alternate sourcing for ingredients such as almonds and cherries. He framed the move as a long-term defensive posture rather than a short-term reaction.
Other Canadians are making immediate personal decisions that will reduce economic interchange with the United States. Canceling streaming subscriptions and foregoing U.S. vacations are examples of consumer behavior that, when aggregated, could contribute to lower cross-border retail and services spending.
There are continuity and uncertainty at the same time. While the municipal and corporate actions noted above are visible and measurable, their long-term economic consequences are less certain. Polling indicates strong support for the federal government's current stance, but officials and businesses must weigh the near-term pain of economic dislocation against aims to increase national economic sovereignty.
Several sectors are clearly engaged in this recalibration: food and beverage manufacturing and their ingredient supply chains; travel and tourism; higher education and research institutions; and consumer media and subscription services. The choices made by firms and households now will shape trade and economic links with the United States for months, perhaps years.
($1 = 1.3903 Canadian dollars)