TIMISKAMING-COCHRANE - A veteran politician is looking for another term at Queen's Park.
John Vanthof has been nominated to run for the NDP for Timiskaming-Cochrane in the next provincial election.
He was first elected in 2011 and says that the greatest honour of his life has been representing people in the riding.
“I have seen first-hand the challenges our northern communities face and how they have been shortchanged by those in the halls of power. From losing farmland to unsafe highways, to lack of proper services, our communities are being left behind. Rural and northern communities are sick and tired of being taken for granted by government after government.
"As a farmer, a northerner, and a New Democrat, I will never shy away from the fight to give people the life they deserve, because it’s time for better," he said in a news release.
Vanthof is currently the Opposition House Leader at Queen's Park, and is also the NDP critic for Agriculture, Food and Rural Affairs.
Northern highways have long been a driver of his work.
Some of the key areas he's fought for through the years are improving safety on northern highways and improving winter road maintenance.
Ontario NDP leader Marit Stiles says he is a fighter for his community, farmers and northern communities.
“Northern Ontario deserves a government that treats them with respect and finally gives them their fair share. At a time when we are seeing northern highways get more and more unsafe, losing more farmland than ever, seeing a real threat to the province’s food security, and seeing government after government take northerners for granted, we need voices like John’s to keep fighting for the future we deserve," she said.
Provincially, people will head to the polls in June 2026 at the latest.
Premier Doug Ford has not ruled out calling an early election, though. He has given sitting MPPs until December to say if they're running again.
