You won't believe what's happening in Ottawa right now. City councillors just voted unanimously to take the first step toward stripping Donald Trump's name off a residential street in the capital's Central Park neighbourhood. The best part? Among the top joke-turned-serious contenders to replace it is Taco Avenue.
If you're wondering how a quiet suburban street got dragged into international geopolitical drama, it comes down to mounting trade tensions and a petty naming war over bodies of water. Trump signed an executive order demanding the US government refer to Lake Ontario as "Lake America," echoing his previous rebranding of the Gulf of Mexico. Ottawa wasn't having it. Local politicians decided that if Washington is going to play fast and loose with Canadian geography, local neighbourhoods can return the favor by scrubbing American political figures off their street signs. In related updates, read about: The Ghost Ships of Maracaibo and the Throne of Crude.
Trump Avenue has sat quietly in Ottawa's Central Park community for about 25 years. The entire neighbourhood follows a New York City theme, which is the only reason the name existed in the first place. Staten Way, Madison Park, and Gotham Private sit nearby. But as trade talks sour and cross-border insults fly, residents and officials are finding the moniker a bit too embarrassing to keep around.
What Taco Avenue Actually Means
The proposed name carries a very specific message. "Taco" isn't a nod to Mexican cuisine. It stands for an acronym: Trump Always Chickens Out. NPR has also covered this fascinating subject in extensive detail.
Ottawa City Councillor Tim Tierney dropped the proposal into the public sphere alongside a slew of other alternatives. Other options floating around include:
- Obama Avenue
- Canada Avenue
- Beaver Avenue
- Gulf of Mexico Avenue
- Canada Goose Avenue
- Pelosi Avenue
- Rosie O'Donnell Avenue
Naming the street after Barack Obama or Rosie O'Donnell is peak psychological trolling. But Taco Avenue has captured the internet's imagination because it turns political frustration into a permanent, petty punchline.
Why This Proves Harder Than It Sounds
Changing a street sign isn't as simple as councillors raising their hands. Ottawa tried this exact stunt back in 2021. Sixty-two households on the street received ballots to vote on a name change. The result was a dead split: 21 voted yes, 21 voted no, and 20 couldn't be bothered to cast a ballot.
You might assume the 21 people voting "no" were diehard fans. They weren't. Changing your street name is an administrative nightmare. Think about updating your driver's license, mortgage documents, utility bills, business registry, and online delivery profiles. Most people simply don't want the hassle, regardless of who the street is named after.
City officials note that any real movement won't happen until after Ottawa's municipal elections wrap up in late October. More than half of the residents on the street must officially back the change before public consultations can even begin.
Distraction or Retaliation
Some local leaders worry the whole debate is a waste of time. Tierney pointed out that while renaming streets makes for great headlines, actual trade policy and punishing US tariffs are what truly matter right now. Stopping the "lame name game" and focusing on economic survival should take priority.
At the same time, public sentiment matters. When foreign leaders talk about erasing your local landmarks like Lake Ontario, communities look for ways to bite back. Ottawa's council vote shows that patience has run thin. Whether the street actually turns into Taco Avenue or reverts to a boring geographic marker like Ontario Avenue, the message has already landed.
Check your local municipal updates this fall if you want to track whether the residents finally sign off on the change. Until then, the sign stays up, and the debate rolls on.
