Hospital patients awaiting spots in long term care can be moved to nursing homes not of their choosing, or face a $400 per day fine if they refuse.
The province has released new details about a controversial long-term care bill.
Bill 7, which is also known as the "More Beds, Better Care Act", allows hospital patients waiting for a spot in a long-term care home to temporarily be moved to another home not of their choosing.
Those who refuse to be moved will be charged $400 a day, starting November 20th.
Health Minister Sylvia Jones and Long-Term Care Minister Paul Calandra say the policy will only affect patients who are waiting to be discharged from hospital.
The pair also note couples will not be separated, and religious, ethnic and language preferences will be respected.
Starting September 21st, patients in southern Ontario could be moved up to 70 kilometres away, while northern Ontario patients could be moved up to 150 kilometres away.
The province says the regulations announced today are part of an effort to free up hospital beds, as health care facilities deal with a surgical backlog and temporary emergency room closures.
The bill has sparked outrage from seniors and health care advocates, and was pushed through without public hearings.
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