he Canadian Self Storage Association (CSSA) was the brainchild of Sue Margeson. She has been in the storage industry since 1988. During that time, she answered many, many questions from fellow storage associates. The volume of questions that arose, and the fact that the questions being asked were often similar, led her to believe that people in the Canadian self-storage industry needed a “one-stop shop” to find the answers to operational questions, locate needed products and services, and obtain any self-storage resource required to better their businesses. It was obvious to Margeson that an association for the industry was needed. At that time, storage was a relatively small industry, but it has since grown into the multi-billion-dollar industry that it is today.

The Canadian Self Storage Association was founded and begun with a core group: Margeson, Ken Hick, John Madsen, Joe Kormos, and Fraser Kulba. She requested the involvement of these individuals based on the respect that she had for this group of very knowledgeable and driven individuals. Geographically, these original board members represented all the provinces across Canada. This is when the hard work began. Margeson undertook the task of finding the storage operators and getting them on board as the first members of the CSSA.

The membership benefits were plentiful to owners, operators, and managers alike; whether they were just starting out or had been in the business for a while, the information and knowledge they lacked was soon at their fingertips. This community of self-storage is quite unique in that members freely share their knowledge and support their industry colleagues.

Members can navigate through any issue that comes up, from gate troubles and insurance providers to suppliers of many of the unique items that we use in this wonderful industry, the auction processes, emergency preparedness, and much more. Answers are always available either by calling our offices directly at (888) 898-8538, going to the website (www.cssa.ca), or contacting another CSSA member. Members are quickly pointed in the right direction.

The white papers that the association puts out are invaluable. They provide a best practice on most of the big issues, such as auction procedures, contracts, and theft and break-in prevention. Through the association, you are immediately connected to industry leaders and professionals with a wealth of knowledge about our industry and beyond.

The association also has a Young Leaders Group that promotes the growth of the industry by helping to educate and mentor the younger adults in the industry who are the future of self-storage in Canada.

The networking events provide immeasurable information and contacts, and the friendships they foster are truly an asset for these young leaders in self-storage.

The goals of the association are clear and straightforward: The CSSA is a very strong support group for the industry, as well as a strong voice for advocacy, legislative, regulatory, and other issues for all Canadian self-storage owners.

The CSSA Operators Certification Course is offered several times a year; it’s a great way to jump in and learn the basics of self-storage. This is the only self-storage certification course that is offered in Canada, and it is very comprehensive. Some even say that what they learned in the two days of this course would have taken them 10 months to learn while working in a facility. Over the years, we have seen many owners, operators, and staff attend this course many times over. We are proud to let you know today that we have had more than 700 graduates of the Canadian Self Storage Association’s Operators Certification Course so far. This invaluable course will be held again on Oct. 22 and 23, 2024, in Toronto, Ont., at the CSSA’s 19^TH Annual Eastern Canadian Conference. Space is limited; if you wish to reserve your spot, please visit www.cssa.ca.

Several years ago, the CSSA partnered with the Canadian Federation of Independent Business (CFIB). Through this partnership, we are pleased to be able to offer a full and complimentary membership to the CFIB with your CSSA membership at no extra charge. This brings a strong support and helps greatly when dealing with the government and legislative issues that arise from time to time. With this complimentary membership to the CFIB as a CSSA member, you can benefit from many of the resources and services that the CFIB has to offer, including credit and debit card processing fees and small business or individual health insurance benefits—all at hugely discounted pricing.

The active/passive tax issue, lien laws, building codes, and property tax issues are a few of the initiatives currently being addressed by the association, with the assistance of the CFIB.

Your CSSA membership provides direct access to all other members and vendor members as well. Our interactive map makes it easy to find colleagues in your area. The CSSA forum provides you with a voice and a resource for information.

First of all, in April of 2024, the association held its annual general and special meeting of the members in Vancouver, B.C. As is the case every year, an election was held to determine your CSSA board of directors. Troy McLellan, who has served as the president of the Canadian Self Storage Association for the past 15 years, has now retired from this board. We would like to take this opportunity to thank him very much for his service and commitment to the CSSA and all its members. He will be missed!

Your 2024 CSSA board of directors is as follows:

President – Robert Madsen (representing British Columbia)
Executive Director – Sue Margeson (National)
Treasurer – Steven Scott (National)
Secretary – David Allan (Eastern Canada)
Director – Tami Reilly (British Columbia)
Director – Shannon Conaghan (Alberta)
Director – Alain Gingras (Quebec)

Congratulations to you all! We know that each and every one of these dedicated people are here to assist everyone in the self-storage industry in Canada with whatever they need!

We are all looking forward to meeting you in person at one or all of our upcoming events. This is a terrific opportunity to have a great conversation and get to know these leaders of the Canadian Self Storage Association and your peers in the industry as well. These events are guaranteed to give you a great deal of knowledge of current affairs in our self-storage industry, and many other interesting topics of discussion. The following is the Canadian Self Storage Association’s calendar of events. Please be sure to save the dates of those that you plan to attend. You won’t regret it; we promise! For more information on any of these upcoming events, or to register to attend, please visit www.cssa.ca.