The Ottawa City Council has taken the first step toward renaming a street named after US President Donald Trump. The proposal was approved unanimously on Wednesday amid growing trade tensions between Canada and the United States.

Trump Avenue in the Central Park neighborhood has borne this name for approximately 25 years. However, some local politicians now consider it a disgrace. Proposed alternatives include Obama Avenue, Ontario Avenue, Canada Avenue, Beaver Avenue and Taco Avenue.

Councilman Tim Tierney noted that the change will not be immediate. More than half of the street's residents must support it, and the new name will then undergo a public comment period. The process is not expected to take place before the municipal elections at the end of October.

A similar attempt failed in 2021. Of 62 households, 21 voted in favor of the renaming, the same number voted against it, and 20 did not take part. Some opponents did not want to deal with the complications of changing their addresses.

The debate was reignited by Trump's executive order directing the US government to refer to Lake Ontario as "Lake America".

(abc17news, bak)