Two organizations have filed a legal appeal against the Ontario provincial government regarding its law that allows hospitals to charge elderly patients who are healthy enough to leave the hospital but refuse to be transferred to a long-term care facility a fee of $400 per day.

The "Ontario Health Coalition" and the "Advocacy Centre for the Elderly" filed the legal appeal today before the Ontario Superior Court, arguing that the law violates the Canadian Charter of Rights and Freedoms.

This provision of the law, known as "Bill 7," came into effect last November, despite protests from groups of elderly people.

The executive director of the "Ontario Health Coalition," Natalie Mehra, considers this law "inhumane," adding that it makes the situation stressful for many seniors and their relatives.

She cites, for example, an elderly woman in Ajax, in the Greater Toronto area, who was threatened to be transferred against her will to the "Orchard Villa" long-term care center, which has been the subject of many complaints in the past.

The Progressive Conservative Party government in Ontario, led by Doug Ford, responded to its critics by saying that other Canadian provinces have similar laws "for decades" and that this measure allows freeing up hospital beds.

Jake Rossman, the press secretary to the Minister of Long-Term Care Paul Calandra, added that long-term care centers are best suited to provide the "appropriate level of care for the needs" of the elderly.

Since the new law came into effect, at least one person, an elderly woman, in Ontario had to pay the $400 fee for a few days after initially refusing to leave the hospital, according to lawyer Stephen Shribman, who is helping the two organizations in their legal appeal against the provincial government.

For its part, the Ontario government has not provided any statistics on this matter.