SmartStop Expands Third-Party Management Platform Into Canada

SmartStop Self Storage REIT has added its first Canadian property to its third-party management platform, marking a new milestone in the company’s expansion of management services across North America.

The company announced that it has been selected to manage an approximately 80,910-square-foot self-storage facility in Aurora, Ontario. The property includes 829 units and represents SmartStop’s inaugural third-party management assignment in Canada.

The addition further strengthens SmartStop’s presence in the Greater Toronto Area, where the company and its affiliates already own or manage a significant portfolio of self-storage assets. The region remains one of North America’s fastest-growing metropolitan markets and a key focus for the company’s Canadian operations.

"This agreement represents something we never take for granted: owners trusting us to maximize their investment," said H. Michael Schwartz, Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of SmartStop. "When an independent owner hands us the keys, they are counting on sophisticated revenue management, marketing that drives qualified demand, and the operational expertise that comes from a team that lives and breathes self-storage every day. As the largest self-storage operator in the Greater Toronto Area, our platform is built to deliver measurable performance for the people who built these businesses."

The management assignment expands SmartStop’s third-party management business, which is designed specifically for self-storage owners and entrepreneurs. The platform offers multiple management structures, access to the company’s proprietary technology tools, revenue management capabilities, integrated marketing services and operational support from a team of more than 1,000 self-storage professionals.

SmartStop, an internally managed real estate investment trust, owns and operates self-storage facilities throughout the United States and Canada. The company has increasingly focused on growing its management platform alongside its owned portfolio, leveraging its scale and operating expertise to attract independent owners seeking professional management solutions.

The Aurora facility represents the latest step in that strategy and signals SmartStop’s intent to expand its third-party management presence beyond the United States as demand for professional self-storage management services continues to grow across North America.