Ottawa’s city council is set to decide on a motion to rename Trump Avenue, a street named after U.S. President Donald Trump over 20 years ago. River ward Coun. Riley Brockington proposed the name change citing Trump’s actions against Canada. The vote on the motion is expected to take place at the upcoming city council meeting on September 23.
No new name has been proposed yet. If the motion is approved, the renaming process is likely to occur next year. Brockington plans to involve residents in the Central Park neighborhood in selecting a new name through a public consultation process.
Brockington expressed his dissatisfaction with having Trump’s name on a street in Canada’s capital, calling it offensive. His decision to push for the renaming follows Trump’s imposition of tariffs on Canadian goods and his order to rename Lake Ontario to Lake America, leading to retaliatory measures by Canada.
In the past, an attempt to rename Trump Avenue faced opposition from residents, but Brockington stressed that the time for debate is over given the current circumstances. He has received widespread support globally since announcing the initiative.
The public consultation process could result in a name that aligns with the New York City theme of the neighborhood, though it is not a requirement. The new name is expected to be presented to the council by the first half of next year.
Following the recent council meeting, several city councillors expressed strong support for Brockington’s proposal, with Mayor Mark Sutcliffe also backing the move. Sutcliffe emphasized the importance of consulting residents of Trump Avenue before making a decision, acknowledging the impact on them in terms of administrative changes. Residents will have the opportunity to provide their input to their city councillor before the vote.