John Vanthof

MPP for Timiskaming—Cochrane

Contact information

Main Office:
Box 398
247 Whitewood Ave.
Pinewoods Centre - Unit 5
New Liskeard Ontario P0J 1P0

Phone: 705-647-5995
Fax: 705-647-1976
Toll Free: 1-888-701-1105

Kirkland Lake Office:
30 Second Street
Box 276
Kirkland Lake, Ontario
P2N 3H7

Phone: 705-567-4650
Toll Free:1-800-461-2186

Queen's Park:
Room 156, Main Legislative Building, Queen's Park
Toronto, Ontario M7A 1A5

Email: jvanthof-qp@ndp.on.ca

Critic Portfolio:
Agriculture, Food and Rural Affairs

John Vanthof and his wife Ria have owned and operated a dairy and crop farm outside of Earlton Ontario since 1984. The Vanthofs have four children, Stephanie, Alex, Dana and Vicky.

John’s public service career started with his election to the Temiskaming Dairy Producer Committee on which he has served for more than 20 years including several years as Chair. In 2004, John was elected for a four-year term to the Board of Dairy Farmers of Ontario, a marketing organization with over $1 billion in annual sales. John was DFO Director when Thornloe Cheese was threatened with closure and he played a key role in its rebirth.

John also served on municipal council for 12 years, but he is most widely recognized for his ten-year term as President of the Temiskaming Federation of Agriculture. During that time, the Federation represented the agricultural community in some key issues most notably the Adams Mine Landfill debate. The critical analysis of the Ministry of Environment’s approval, commissioned by the Federation, was one of the catalysts that stopped the project. The lawsuit that was launched against John by the owners of the site was dropped a week prior to his run for MPP for Temiskaming Cochrane in 2007. The seat was held by the Minister of Natural Resources. John came within 630 votes of defeating him.

John was a member of the Board of Directors for the 2009 International Plowing Match. His main responsibility was the student educational program for the Match.

John currently sits on the Board of the Englehart and District Hospital, and the fundraising committee for the Englehart Family Health Clinic. He is also vice chair of the Temiskaming Foundation.

His hobbies include riding his motorcycle and avoiding rocks on Lake Wendigo.