Storage companies are hitting renters with unjust fees, lock cuts and surprise charges, and many people pay because they don't know they can push back.
Good to know: according to People's Law School, self-storage companies in BC generally don't get an automatic lien on your belongings, so lock-outs and sales depend on your contract. Your rights. Please confirm with Legal Aid BC.
No one tracks how much Canadians lose to storage fees. In the US, the three biggest storage companies earn about US$730 million a year from add-on charges, mostly storage insurance.
US figure, shown for comparison. Source: 2025 annual reports from Public Storage, Extra Space and CubeSmart.
In Canada, a Quebec class action says a $1 first month at Public Storage came to $60.87 after fees and tax. (Lambert Avocats; not yet authorized by a judge.)
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In the news
Quebec: proposed class action over "$1 first month" storage offer
On July 21, 2025, the law firm Lambert Avocats filed an application asking the Quebec Superior Court to authorize a class action against Public Storage Canadian Properties. It alleges that the advertised $1.00 first month was raised by a $25 administration fee plus tax at the final stage of the rental. These are allegations only. As of the firm's page, the case is awaiting authorization and nothing has been proven in court. It applies to Quebec renters, not BC.