Kenneth Boshcoff was born and educated in Fort William and graduated from Lakehead University, receiving degrees in Economics and Political Science. He continued his post-secondary education at York University where he obtained a Master’s Degree in Environmental Studies.

Boshcoff played a significant part in creating the Northern Ontario School of Medicine, based in Thunder Bay, which was the first medical school to open in North America in thirty-five years. Holding three black belts, he was also involved in the designation of Thunder Bay as the first Martial Arts Capital of Canada and formed the world's first Martial Arts Council.

A long-serving Councillor, Boshcoff was elected Mayor of Thunder Bay in 1997 and served in office until 2003. He also served as President of the Association of Municipalities of Ontario from 2002-2003. In 2004, he was elected as a Liberal Member of Parliament for the Thunder Bay-Rainy River riding and was re-elected in 2006. Boshcoff ran and was elected again as a Councillor At Large for the City of Thunder Bay in the 2010 election. He again ran for Mayor in 2014, but lost to incumbent Keith Hobbs. He was the Official Opposition Critic for Federal Economic Development Initiative for Northern Ontario (FEDNOR) and a standing member for the Committee of Agricultural and the Committee of Natural Resources.