The Ontario government says hospital patients waiting for a place in long-term care can be moved to other sites not of their choosing or pay a $400 daily fee if they refuse to leave the hospital.

Ontario officials announced details of Bill 7, which allows the temporary transfer of elderly patients waiting for a long-term care bed to another home not of their choosing.

The province's Minister of Health and Long-Term Care said the policy "frees up hospital beds so people waiting for surgeries can get them sooner" while also easing pressure on crowded emergency rooms.

Advocates expressed concern that seniors will be moved to long-term care homes, or that hefty fees will be imposed on them to stay in the hospital if they refuse the offer.