Google is in the process of updating the labeling of Canadian parks on its platform following feedback from numerous Canadian users. The company plans to adjust the categorization of various parks in Canada, such as the waterfalls of Short Hills Provincial Park in Ontario, the marine beauty of Juan de Fuca Provincial Park on Vancouver Island, and the hoodoos and rock carvings of Writing-On-Stone Provincial Park in southern Alberta. This decision comes after recent observations that several Canadian vistas were inaccurately labeled as “state parks” on Google and other online services.
While the classification of these parks as state parks predates the current political climate, the attention drawn to this issue intensified due to ongoing rhetoric from U.S. president Donald Trump about Canada potentially becoming the 51st state. Many users raised concerns about the categorization, noting the cartographic changes made by Trump in other regions, such as renaming the Gulf of Mexico to the Gulf of America.
Several posts discussing the mislabeling of Canadian parks gained traction on popular Canadian forums like Reddit, prompting users to demand corrections from Google. Residents like Kiki Grabowski from Campbell River, B.C., expressed shock and filed complaints after noticing the incorrect categorization, emphasizing the importance of accurate labeling.
Although Google clarified that the labeling of these parks has remained consistent for several years, efforts are underway to rectify the confusion. Reuben Rose-Redwood, a geography professor at the University of Victoria, explained that Google’s use of “state park” as a generic term for categorization might reflect a cartographic bias rather than a deliberate misrepresentation of Canadian sovereignty.
Notably, some Canadian national parks like Jasper and Banff are correctly labeled as national parks, while other provincial parks are listed as “park.” Google users can suggest edits to park listings, although “provincial park” is not currently an available category for such edits. This issue extends beyond Canada, as parks in other countries like Argentina and Russia are also categorized as state parks on Google.
Alternative mapping services like Apple Maps categorize Canadian parks differently, recognizing them as provincial parks. Bing, another mapping platform, follows a similar pattern to Google in labeling Canadian parks. TripAdvisor also lists some Canadian parks as state parks, underscoring the importance of accurate geographic labeling across various online platforms.
Efforts to correct these categorizations are ongoing, with Canadian users actively submitting edit requests to rectify the labeling discrepancies. The discussions surrounding the mislabeling of parks highlight the need for precise geographical representation and respect for national identities in online mapping services.
