As B.C. announced the purchase of a former care home to house the homeless, campers at Victoria’s courthouse were served notice they must pack up and move out by the end of the month.

The province announced Friday it has bought the Mount Edwards Care Home for $3.65 million and the building will be used to provide 38 transitional housing units for $375 a month.

The building, which will be operated by the Victoria Cool Aid Society, has been the centre of controversy in the surrounding community for months.

Neighbours as well as staff and parents of students at an elementary school across the street have rallied against the project, saying the residential area is no place for low-barrier housing.

Some have even threatened legal action over what they call a lack of transparency and consultation by the city and the B.C. government.

Meanwhile, 100 or so campers at the Victoria Courthouse were handed notices Friday that they have until Feb. 25 to clear the area “due to safety concerns” and all have been advised of additional housing options, the government said.

"We have created these additional living spaces and are providing support services to help homeless individuals take an important step to find permanent, stable housing,” said Rich Coleman, minister responsible for housing. “I hope that people take this opportunity to make meaningful changes in their lives."

The downtown Victoria camp exploded in population last fall after it was revealed a bylaw prohibiting daytime camping in city parks didn’t apply to the provincially owned courthouse land.

Those living there have gone as far as to form a basic system of government in the encampment and some are trained in using Naloxone kits, a drug used to reverse the effects of overdoses.

Many campers have said they reject government-sponsored living options and want to continue to reside at the camp, setting up a potential showdown on Feb. 25.

B.C. also announced the opening of an additional 50 shelter units at the former Victoria Youth Custody Centre in View Royal, which is operated by Our Place Society. That's an instant infusion of 88 available housing units for Victoria's homeless population.

Campers at that facility have the option of setting up tents in the building’s courtyard, and the shelter will be open for about six months. Mount Edwards will operate for about a year.

Both places are expected to be up and running by Feb. 23.

Even though it’s a done deal, the province said it will host public information sessions for each facility and residents will have a chance to voice their concerns.

No dates or locations have been determined for those meetings.