There is a lot of hand-wringing when it comes to home ownership in Canada.

The purchase of a home, especially a single family house, is often seen as the pinnacle of a path to happiness many Canadians have bought into.

But Nathan Lauster says not only are single family homes overrated, they're also harmful to the health of a city.

They tend to be quite isolating for people; they tend to really valorize private space at the cost of real public space where people can get out and meet other people who are different than themselves. - Nathan Lauster, "The Death and Life of the Single Family House"

As a result, the UBC sociology professor, who also calls Vancouver home, says single family housing is a "sap" on urban vitality.

Ironically, Lauster also sees his city as one that can lead the way when it comes to how cities approach planning alternatives to single family housing.