The Ontario government is considering a new program that would allow some recuperating seniors free stays in retirement homes.
It's one of the measures the province will be testing as it tries to tackle the issue of overcrowded hospitals.
Health Minister Eric Hoskins says the program is aimed at so-called alternative-level-of-care patients, who are well enough to leave a hospital but aren't able to live independently.
The government has been facing mounting calls to act on overcrowded hospitals, where patients have ended up in hallways, boardrooms and even cafeterias when regular beds fill up.