In October 2025, SmartStop Self Storage REIT, Inc., signed a contribution agreement for Argus Professional Storage Management (APSM), the second largest independent third-party management company in the U.S. self-storage industry. Together, SmartStop and APSM will own or manage over 460 self-storage properties in North America.

Embracing APSM’s entrepreneurial and collaborative approach to third-party management, which is designed to meet the needs of independent storage owners, SmartStop will be expanding that offering to three distinct partnership options:

• SmartStop, a traditional SmartStop-branded strategy;
• SmartStop Legacy, an option in which partners maintain their existing brand but operate on SmartStop’s website and the SmartStop Platform; and
• Full Private Label, a fully white label solution that fully preserves the existing brand identity from top to bottom while running on the SmartStop Platform.

This flexible model aims to empower storage entrepreneurs to engage with SmartStop on their own terms while gaining the advantages of SmartStop’s industry-leading technology that drives operational efficiency, dynamic pricing, and comprehensive marketing. Additionally, SmartStop will offer customized bridge lending opportunities, providing further flexibility and liquidity to its partners. SmartStop’s collaborative approach to third-party management emphasizes independence and flexibility, tailoring solutions to each partner’s goals.

Make Space Storage has opened its brand-new storage facility in North Saanich, Victoria, B.C. Located on 2.5 acres at 1921 Mills Road, near the Victoria International Airport, the property offers modern, secure, and convenient storage solutions through 185 indoor and drive-up units in a variety of sizes as well as extended access hours and security measures such as 24/7 video surveillance, gated entry, and perimeter fencing. Customers have the ability to complete online reservations and move-ins as well. This opening also marks the next step for Van Isle Containers, which will now operate under the Make Space Storage name. To celebrate, Make Space Storage hosted a family-friendly Halloween-themed grand opening event on Sat., Oct. 25, featuring several free festivities, including a trick-or-treat adventure, face-painting, festive treats, prizes, tours of the new facility, and lunch.

According to a report by Avison Young, a commercial real estate firm, the supply of new self-storage in Canada is projected to double year over year in 2026. This forecasted increase correlates with population growth and the demographic factors that drive self-storage demand, including a rapidly aging population that tends to downsize their living space, increased mobility from international and interprovincial migrants who need to store possessions while resettling, and the construction of smaller apartments due to affordability pressures. Avison Young’s report observed that the market began experiencing a pronounced rise in supply between 2021 and 2024, which corresponds with years of population growth that have spurred the need for additional storage options. As of 2025, a significant volume of self-storage projects is under construction, signaling continued market momentum heading into 2026.

Mini Mall Storage Properties Trust, which is headquartered in Calgary, Alta., and is part of Avenue Living Asset Management, has acquired an 11-property portfolio from U.S.-based Metro Self Storage. The deal includes facilities in Georgia, Illinois, and Minnesota. Terms and financial details about the transaction were not disclosed, however the acquisition fits Mini Mall’s strategy of targeting legacy-operated, drive-up storage facilities with strong cash flow potential and modernizing them through centralized operations and technology investments.

SmartStop Self Storage REIT, Inc. (SMA) recently acquired five self-storage facilities in Alberta. The Alberta portfolio adds approximately 330,000 net rentable square feet, including 2,770 units offering a mix of interior climate-controlled, heated, and exterior drive-up options. The properties are in Edmonton, Sherwood Park, Red Deer County, Canmore, and Cochrane, serving a diverse mix of residential, suburban, rural, and commercial communities. With this transaction, SmartStop’s Canadian portfolio now totals 49 operating assets.

In other news, SMA has successfully priced a Canadian Maple Bond issuance. Through its affiliated operating partnership, SmartStop OP, L.P., the company plans to issue C$200 million in series B senior unsecured notes, which are scheduled to mature on Sept. 24, 2030. These notes will carry an annual interest rate of approximately 3.888 percent, with payments made in cash through semi-annual installments starting March 24, 2026. Rated BBB by Morningstar DBRS, the proceeds from this issuance are intended for repaying existing debts, facilitating acquisitions, and addressing other general corporate needs. The transaction was finalized on Sept. 24, 2025.

Strategic Storage Growth Trust III, Inc. (SSGT III), a private real estate investment trust sponsored by an affiliate of SmartStop Self Storage REIT, Inc., has acquired the Class-A facility at 1305 E. 7^th Avenue in Vancouver, B.C. Located within a dense residential area with strong household incomes and projected population growth of approximately 8 percent over the next five years, the five-level, purpose-built facility offers approximately 52,400 net rentable square feet and features 790 climate-controlled interior units, five drive-up units, and five underground parking stalls. It includes two elevators for convenient customer access. With visibility to roughly 25,000 vehicles per day, the facility is well-positioned to meet demand from both residents and local businesses across Grandview-Woodland, Mount Pleasant, Strathcona, Hastings-Sunrise, Kensington-Cedar Cottage, Renfrew-Collingwood, and Riley Park. Adding to the strength of this acquisition is the City of Vancouver’s increasingly restrictive stance on new self-storage development. Recent zoning changes limit the ability to build new facilities, particularly in transit-oriented and industrial zones, making approved, purpose-built assets like this one both rare and highly valuable in the market.

In August 2025, Prime Group Holdings, a top operator in the United States, paid approximately $152 million for three self-storage properties in the Toronto area. The facilities, acquired from Vaultra Storage, were part of portfolios acquired in separate transactions. Operating under the name Prime Storage, the operator now has seven properties in Canada, with its Canadian portfolio totaling 654,400 net rentable square feet and 7,840 units.

Vidir Solutions, a manufacturer of automated storage and retrieval systems based in Winnipeg, has released its Pan Carousel, a vertical carousel designed to save up to 75 percent of floor space in retail environments. Engineered to solve the accessibility, safety, and productivity challenges faced by businesses with limited space for displaying and/or storing retail inventory, the Pan Carousel delivers ergonomic, waist-level access, which significantly improves safety and comfort by eliminating bending, reaching, and climbing for stored goods. Moreover, the bi-directional rotation capability reduces retrieval times and its adjustable pan spacing (width and depth) allows facilities to store a broad spectrum of product sizes. Supporting industrial-grade durability, the heavy-gauge steel vertical carousels are built for long-lasting use. For more information about the Pan Carousel and other Vidir automated storage solutions, visit www.vidirsolutions.com.