From Trump Avenue to Boycotting America

For more than 20 years, Diane Hosker has lived on Trump Avenue in Ottawa's leafy west side, a neighborhood where streets bear New York-inspired names, such as Central Park and Bloomingdale Street.

Hosker was never a fan of the name, which was chosen at a time when US President Donald Trump was known primarily as a New York real estate developer. Now, amid an escalating trade war and increasingly harsh verbal threats, city officials are considering changing the street's name.

Trump's latest moves, imposing new tariffs on goods from Canada and signing an executive order renaming Lake Ontario "Lake America," have sparked a new wave of anger and patriotism in a country otherwise known for its laid-back nature.

Some Canadians have boycotted American products and stopped traveling south of the border since Trump returned to power in early 2025, but his renewed attacks on Canada are now fueling what could become a more permanent rift between the two longtime allies. From street names to supply chains to vacation reservations, Canadians are severing everyday ties in ways that could last well beyond the end of the current trade dispute.

"Trump is simply the king of chaos, he destroys everything and nothing good ever comes from that man," Hosker told Reuters. "I just don't like the way he makes fun of Canada," she said, adding that she was embarrassed to tell people she lives on a street named after Trump.

Ottawa city councillor Riley Brockington said he is taking steps to re-name Trump Avenue. Suggestions include TACO, a nod to the phrase "Trump Always Chickens Out," and the possibility of naming the street after former US President Barack Obama.

"Streets in Canada's capital are named after people of honor and integrity, who cooperate and build partnerships, in this case with Canada," Brockington told Reuters. "Trump does not meet any of those criteria," he added.

A survey by Abacus Data released last week found that more than 70 percent of Canadians support Prime Minister Mark Carney's decision to suspend trade talks with the United States, despite potential job losses and economic uncertainty. At the same time, a Reuters/Ipsos poll found that only 20 percent of Americans support tariffs on Canadian goods, while even fewer approve of renaming a lake.

Some dual citizens, meanwhile, are further strengthening their ties with Canada.

Sarah Seeger, a Canadian-American astrophysicist leaving MIT, is moving to Toronto after being hired by the University of Toronto, as part of the Carney government's efforts to attract top experts and academics from abroad.

Seeger said that when she renewed her Canadian passport, she explained to the officials why she was returning to Canada.

“I explained to them that Prime Minister Carney is allocating more than $1 billion to attract top experts from around the world, and particularly Canadians, to come home and help Canada become less dependent on the U.S. in technology, trade and defense,” she said.

"It was really touching to see how much Canadian pride there was among the people in that line at the passport counters."

Disconnection

Ashley Chapman, chief operating officer of Chapman's Ice Cream, a family-owned Canadian company, said the company began relying less on U.S. ingredients after Trump imposed the first round of tariffs on Canada last year. By mid-2027, Chapman said, the goal is to reduce the use of U.S. ingredients by 70 percent.

"Trump will be in power for years to come, and we need to figure out how to protect ourselves," he said.

Chapman said the company has cut ties with nine long-standing American suppliers in recent months and is now sourcing ingredients like almonds and cherries from Australia and Chile.

He also promised that the company would not raise prices during the trade war, even if it reduced its profit margin.

"That's the price I'm willing to pay, to show that we won't allow ourselves to be intimidated and treated this way by a country that was once our closest ally and friend," he said.

Dave Samoilenko, a 53-year-old programmer from Ottawa, said he has canceled subscriptions to American streaming services, such as Netflix, and will not travel to the US while Trump is in office.

"We are an independent country and we need to stand up for ourselves," he said. "I haven't traveled to the U.S. since this administration came to power and I probably won't at least until they leave, and maybe not long after that."

Visits to the United States fell 10,6 percent in the first three months of this year compared to the same period last year, official data show. Canadian spending on travel to the United States fell 13,6 percent to C$5 billion ($3,6 billion), while domestic tourism grew.

Megan Woodward, a travel agent in Edmonton, said she has noticed additional Canadians giving up on traveling to the United States after the latest wave of tariff threats.

"We hardly have any bookings for the US anymore, and Canadians are very clear about where they want to spend their money. If we recommend a US vacation, many are very opposed to it. They want their money to stay in Canada or they are very happy to spend it in Europe," said Woodward.