VICTORIA -  Poor Rich Coleman. Campers at Victoria's tent city on the grounds of the courthouse chose to ignore the provincial minister of housing's threats of eviction today and have a block party instead.

The campers were joined by about 45 solidarity supporters who crossed the Salish Sea from  the mainland to join in the celebration and call for meaningful and permanent  action on homelessness.

Some campers recently moved to limited shelter and transitional housing units in Victoria, but the tent city appears to still be growing with more than 100 tents crowding the site.  Local reports say some campers are considering moving to another more secure location on public land.

The party included lots of  food, music, speeches and drones hovering overhead.