SmartStop’s Bliss Edwards Wins Canadian Awards

SmartStop Self Storage REIT, Inc., an internally managed real estate investment trust and a premier owner and operator of self-storage facilities in the United States and Canada, is pleased to announce that Bliss Edwards, Executive Vice President and Head of Canada, has been selected as a national winner of the 2025 Canadian Women in Real Estate Awards. Connect CRE Canada presents this award in recognition of leadership and achievement in the commercial real estate industry.

In her role at SmartStop, Ms. Edwards leads the Company’s Canadian acquisition and development efforts. Since joining SmartStop in 2019, she has overseen the sourcing and execution of new development opportunities, growing the net rentable square-foot pipeline by fourfold. Under her oversight, the Company has become a top-ten storage operator in North America, a top-five operator in Canada, and the leading operator in the Greater Toronto Area by net rentable square feet.

The Canadian Women in Real Estate Awards highlight women in leadership roles who have made significant contributions to their organizations and communities. Ms. Edwards is honored for her strategic vision, hands-on execution in property acquisitions and development, and her mentorship of emerging professionals in the industry.

“On behalf of SmartStop, I congratulate Bliss on this well-deserved recognition. Her leadership has been instrumental to our Canadian growth strategy, including the substantial expansion of our development pipeline and our position as a leading operator in key markets,” said H. Michael Schwartz, Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of SmartStop. “Bliss brings strategic vision, operational discipline, and a commitment to developing talent across the organization. This national award underscores the meaningful impact she has had on SmartStop and on the broader real estate community.”

Bliss is featured in MSM's winter issue of Self-Storage Canada as a guest on our 2026 Outlook panel. The new issue drops next week, so be sure to subscribe now.

About SmartStop Self Storage REIT, Inc. (SmartStop):

SmartStop Self Storage REIT, Inc. (“SmartStop”) (NYSE: SMA), is a self-managed REIT with a fully integrated operations team of more than 1,000 self-storage professionals focused on growing the SmartStop® Self Storage brand. SmartStop, through its indirect subsidiary SmartStop REIT Advisors, LLC, also sponsors other self-storage programs, and through its indirect subsidiary Argus Professional Storage Management, LLC, offers third-party management services in the U.S. and Canada. As of November 20, 2025, SmartStop has an owned or managed portfolio of more than 460 operating properties in 34 states, the District of Columbia, and Canada, comprising approximately 270,000 units and more than 35 million rentable square feet. SmartStop and its affiliates own or manage 49 operating self-storage properties in Canada, which total approximately 42,200 units and 4.3 million rentable square feet. Additional information regarding SmartStop is available at www.smartstopselfstorage.com.