Why Ontario Place is the 'Swiss Army knife' of byelection issues and what else you might have missed this week

The future of a pair of Toronto tourist attractions dominated discussion in the third week of the city's mayoral byelection as an increasingly crowded group of hopefuls tried to gain traction in the race.

Premier Doug Ford's announcement that his government will move the Ontario Science Centre from its current location in the city's east end to Ontario Place made waves — and could have the legs to be a key election issue. 

The debate dominated the news during a busy third week of the campaign as a high profile candidate jumped into the race and a slew of new policy was pitched.

Here's a recap of where things stand.

Premier Ford made good on his hints last week that his government was planning to move the Science Centre to the waterfront. 

And while that won't take place until 2025, the plan isn't sitting well with many of the candidates who say it pulls a key community resource out of Flemingdon Park and Thorncliffe Park. 

Just days later, a key city committee deferred a decision on a land swap the province has requested at Ontario Place to help it revitalize the site, a controversial vision which includes a spa and underground parking garage. 

Andrew Tumilty, a senior consultant with Enterprise Canada, said it seems likely that the issue will persist throughout the campaign. 

"It's something that resonates ... because people have personal connections and personal memories of the place," he said.

Tumilty, who twice ran former mayor John Tory's election war room, said each campaign can use the issue as a springboard to talk about anything.

"It's almost like a Swiss Army knife of issues where if you want to use Ontario Place to talk about housing, if you want to talk about public spaces, if you want to talk about standing up to the provincial government, or waterfront development … you have that opportunity," he said.

Monday kicked off with a bang as Olivia Chow entered the race.

The former NDP MP had been speculated as a potential candidate and now appears to be the party's standard-bearer in the race. And while there's no official party system in municipal politics, strategists, activists and volunteers all get involved behind the scenes to support candidates.

Chow's entry into the race could impact Josh Matlow. While the veteran councillor is a Liberal, he leans decidedly left, so he and Chow will be attempting to woo some of the same voters.