Residents across BC have taken to social media, alarmed after discovering that Google Maps is inaccurately labelling several provincial parks as “state parks.”
The misdesignation comes at a time when tensions between Canada and the United States are already high, with tariff threats and political rhetoric stirring unease on both sides of the border.
Screenshots shared in the Victoria Buzz group on Sunday showed that popular areas such as Juan de Fuca Provincial Park and John Dean Provincial Park were among those being referred to as “state parks.”
Social media users quickly speculated that the error might be linked to recent remarks by former US President Donald Trump, who has repeatedly suggested that Canada should become the 51st state.
Well Canadians, it appears that Google is quietly changing the designations of provincial parks here to “state” parks.@MountainDreami2 @AngelaS2Canada @TrueEager @Dave_Eby @CharlieAngusNDP @barbinpei @TheJasonPugh @thecriermedia @MeidasTouch pic.twitter.com/BJ9fQQXPBH
— Rita Rewerts (@rita_rewerts) February 24, 2025
However, a Google spokesperson has clarified that no recent changes have been made to the way parks are labelled in Canada.
“We are actively working to update the labels to avoid confusion,” the spokesperson said, explaining that the error is due to the interchangeable use of terms in the company’s backend systems.
BC Environment Minister Tamara Davidson acknowledged the concerns raised by the mislabelling, especially given the current geopolitical climate.
“We understand the concerns raised by the incorrect designation in the context of current tensions,” said Davidson.
She confirmed that the BC government has reached out to Google Canada, requesting that “provincial park” be added as an option in order to more accurately represent these natural areas.
“It is our understanding that the ‘state park’ label has always been the default setting of Google,” she noted, adding emphatically, “and let’s be clear – we will never be the 51st state.”
BC Parks also responded to an email from Victoria Buzz acknowledged the issue, noting that the designation of “state park” is a default setting by Google rather than a recent change. The response explained that while some users have reported the option for “provincial park” appears to have been removed, BC Parks maintains that the “state park” label has always been present.
BC Parks said it has contacted Google Canada to request a unique “provincial park” designation, ensuring that the province’s natural treasures are correctly represented. In their respone, they also expressed its appreciation for public concerns and reaffirming its commitment to accurate representation of BC’s parks.
Ultimately, the goal is to ensure that Canada’s natural treasures are accurately represented on digital maps.
