B.C. poverty reduction minister Shane Simpson says there's no quick fix to address homelessness and the challenges posed by a growing encampment at East Vancouver's Strathcona Park.

Police say they have stepped up patrols in Strathcona after receiving public feedback 'about deteriorating levels of public safety' in the East Vancouver neighbourhood.

It is estimated there are about 400 tents at Strathcona Park now.

It happened Friday morning near the intersection of Hawks and Union streets, not far from the Strathcona Park homeless encampment.

Vancouver police took 88 calls about the noisy explosive devices in May, compared to just three in March.

'It's a public park, it's a place enjoyed by everyone, but to come and dump your garbage there just blows my mind,' said Vancouver councillor Pete Fry.

The motion calls for a plan to find and build housing for at least 80 per cent of the homeless people in Vancouver and other cities within three years.

An adjustment to the bylaw would give owners the option of rehabilitating their dogs' behaviour, potentially sparing them a lifetime of muzzling and isolation.

The massive relocation will significantly alter two Vancouver neighbourhoods: the West End and the False Creek Flats.

The decision came after several merchants protested the motion, while other speakers pointed to concerns about noise and safety.