Overview: Self-Storage Units
Self storage in Canada is rented space, usually paid by the month. You get a locked room inside a heated building or a drive-up bay with a roll-up door. People take one when a move doesn't line up with a closing date, during a renovation, while an estate gets settled, or for the summer gear that eats half the garage.
Winter decides more here than size does. An unheated unit freezes and thaws all season, and that's hard on glued furniture, electronics, photographs and anything with a battery. Tires, patio sets and tools don't mind. If you want a drive-up bay, ask who clears the lot after a snowfall and how fast. A plow ridge across your door can keep you out for a day.
Check your own insurance before the counter sells you a policy. Many home and tenant policies cover belongings kept temporarily away from home, but usually at a lower limit, so ask how yours treats a storage unit. Moving for a new job or school? The CRA lets eligible movers deduct in-transit storage as a moving expense.
Our listings show what each facility states on its own website. Choose your province, then your city, to compare storage companies close to home.
Frequently asked questions
Can I deduct storage costs when I move for work?
Sometimes. The CRA counts in-transit storage, and the insurance on it, as a moving expense for your household goods. You qualify if your new home is a set distance closer to a new job, business or full-time post-secondary school. A unit that holds your things during the move counts. A unit you keep for years afterward doesn't. A student moving for school can deduct it only from taxable scholarship or bursary income, so keep every receipt.
Is climate control worth paying for?
Heat matters more than cooling in most of Canada. A unit that freezes in January and bakes in July will crack finishes, split glued joints and drain batteries. Wood furniture, leather, electronics, paper and photos belong in a heated unit. Tires, tools and patio furniture handle the cold fine. Ask what heated means at that site, since some only keep the space above freezing.
Do I need insurance on stored goods?
Usually, and many facilities want proof before you move in. Call your home or tenant insurer first. Plenty of policies cover belongings kept temporarily away from home, but at a lower limit, so ask how yours treats a storage unit. If you buy the counter policy instead, ask what it excludes.
What is not allowed in a unit?
Anything that burns or explodes: gasoline, propane cylinders, paint thinner, fireworks and ammunition. No food, since one bag of birdseed brings mice to the whole row, and nothing alive. Nobody can live in a unit either. Run the snowblower and the lawn mower dry before they go in, and pull the batteries from anything that will sit through a Canadian winter.
What happens if I stop paying?
The site locks you out first, often with its own lock on your door, and late fees start adding up. If the debt keeps growing, the operator may move toward selling what's inside. Your lease and your province's law decide whether that's allowed and how much notice you get, so read the default section now. Then call the manager early. A smaller unit or a payment plan costs far less than losing the contents.
