Ottawa’s Central Park neighborhood was developed in the 1990s with street names inspired by New York City locations like Manhattan Crescent and Staten Street. Donald Trump, a real estate mogul at the time, also became the name of several streets in the neighborhood. However, Ottawa City Council has voted unanimously to begin renaming Trump Avenue, according to CTV News. River Ward Coun. Riley Brockington is leading the renaming initiative as residents push for a new name.
President Donald Trump has recently levied substantial tariffs on billions of dollars in Canadian exports, prompting Canada to respond with its own measures. However, the dispute has spread well beyond tariffs in recent months. The President directed federal agencies to remove Canadian products from government procurement and announced plans to source potash from Belarus rather than Canada. He has also repeatedly talked about turning Canada into the 51st state.
Hours before the vote, he aimed at Canada’s immigration policies on social media, in a week that also saw his UN remarks on Venezuela. Brockington told council that since he came to office, residents of Trump Avenue, Central Park, and the wider city have asked for a renaming process. He said he could speak at length about the change, “but I don’t want to give a platform anymore to the person who is on the current street sign blades,” Riley Brockington said.
It’s not the first time the name change has been brought up
Residents already voted on the name once, following Trump’s first term in office, and the result was a 21-21 deadlock. With 20 households abstaining then, the name remained, as many who opposed the change worried about updating their home addresses. However, the current political climate appears to have changed the appetite for keeping it.
Brockington plans to form a working group consisting of three to five residents to explore potential new names. These options may continue the New York City theme currently seen in the neighborhood, or the community might choose to move in an entirely new direction. The city’s standard street-naming policies will govern the final selection.
Brockington acknowledged that residents may need to meet and talk the options through before settling on a name for Trump Avenue. “There’s sufficient time to do that. I’m prepared to invest the necessary time,” Riley Brockington said. He closed his remarks by telling council, “It is time for the City of Ottawa to rename Trump Avenue.” Brockington is expected to bring a recommended new name for Trump Avenue to council by the second quarter of 2027, as residents will likely vote on a shortlist of options the working group will draft in the spring.
Published: Sep 25, 2026 03:15 pm