SmartStop Executive to Participate in Vancouver Real Estate Forum
Written by Emily J. Thompson, Senior Investment Analyst
Updated: 3 days ago
0mins
Should l Buy SMA?
Source: Newsfilter
- Executive Participation: Bliss Edwards, Executive Vice President of SmartStop Self Storage REIT, will serve as a panelist at the 2026 Vancouver Real Estate Forum, showcasing the company's expertise in the self-storage sector.
- Event Timing and Location: The forum is scheduled for March 31 to April 1, 2026, at the Vancouver Convention Centre in British Columbia, Canada, expected to attract numerous real estate investors and industry experts.
- Diverse Discussion Topics: Edwards will join a panel discussion titled 'Exploring Alternative Assets,' covering various investment areas including self-storage, seniors and student housing, and data centers, reflecting the market's focus on diversified investments.
- Company Operational Overview: As of March 31, 2026, SmartStop owns or manages over 460 operating properties across 35 states and Canada, providing more than 270,000 units and 35 million rentable square feet of storage space, demonstrating its strong position in the self-storage market.
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Analyst Views on SMA
Wall Street analysts forecast SMA stock price to rise
7 Analyst Rating
6 Buy
0 Hold
1 Sell
Moderate Buy
Current: 30.430
Low
35.00
Averages
39.57
High
41.00
Current: 30.430
Low
35.00
Averages
39.57
High
41.00
About SMA
SmartStop Self Storage REIT, Inc. 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. The Company is focused on the acquisition, ownership and operation of self-storage properties located primarily within the metropolitan statistical areas (MSAs) throughout the United States and Canada. The Company's segments include self storage operations and the Managed Platform business. The Company, through its indirect subsidiary, SmartStop REIT Advisors, LLC, also sponsors other self-storage programs. It owns or manages a portfolio of approximately 460 operating properties in 35 states, the District of Columbia, and Canada, comprising 270,000 units and 35 million rentable square feet. The Company and its affiliates own or manage approximately 50 operating self-storage properties in Canada, which total approximately 43,000 units and 4.3 million rentable square feet.
About the author

Emily J. Thompson
Emily J. Thompson, a Chartered Financial Analyst (CFA) with 12 years in investment research, graduated with honors from the Wharton School. Specializing in industrial and technology stocks, she provides in-depth analysis for Intellectia’s earnings and market brief reports.
- Significant Revenue Growth: As of December 31, 2025, Strategic Storage Trust VI reported total revenues of approximately $30.7 million, an increase of about $2.5 million or 8.8% compared to 2024, indicating strong performance and sustained growth potential in the self-storage market.
- Same-Store Revenue and NOI Increase: Same-store revenues rose by approximately $0.6 million, or 4.6%, while same-store net operating income (NOI) increased by about $0.7 million, or 8.6%, reflecting effective strategies in pricing and occupancy management.
- Development Projects Progressing Well: The company successfully brought four Canadian joint venture properties online in 2025, with an average occupancy of only 41%, yet early demand trends are promising, suggesting these properties will significantly contribute to future growth and expand the footprint in the Greater Toronto Area and Quebec.
- Daily Distribution Declaration: On December 22, 2025, the board declared a daily distribution rate of approximately $0.001698 per share for all common stockholders, demonstrating the company's financial prudence and commitment to shareholder returns.
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- Anniversary Celebration: SmartStop marks its one-year anniversary as a publicly traded company by ringing the opening bell at the NYSE on April 2, symbolizing its success and growth in the capital markets, which enhances investor confidence.
- Strategic Growth Milestone: Over the past year, SmartStop has enhanced its third-party management capabilities and broadened its operational footprint through a successful transaction with Argus Professional Storage Management, positioning itself to serve self-storage owners more effectively.
- Enhanced Operational Capacity: SmartStop currently owns or manages over 460 operating properties in the U.S. and Canada, providing more than 275,000 units and 35 million rentable square feet of storage space, demonstrating its strong competitive position in the market.
- Trust from Team and Investors: CEO H. Michael Schwartz emphasized that the dedication of the team and the trust of investors are fundamental to the company's ongoing value creation, and it looks forward to driving business growth in the future.
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- Executive Participation: Bliss Edwards, Executive Vice President of SmartStop Self Storage REIT, will serve as a panelist at the 2026 Vancouver Real Estate Forum, showcasing the company's expertise in the self-storage sector.
- Event Timing and Location: The forum is scheduled for March 31 to April 1, 2026, at the Vancouver Convention Centre in British Columbia, Canada, expected to attract numerous real estate investors and industry experts.
- Diverse Discussion Topics: Edwards will join a panel discussion titled 'Exploring Alternative Assets,' covering various investment areas including self-storage, seniors and student housing, and data centers, reflecting the market's focus on diversified investments.
- Company Operational Overview: As of March 31, 2026, SmartStop owns or manages over 460 operating properties across 35 states and Canada, providing more than 270,000 units and 35 million rentable square feet of storage space, demonstrating its strong position in the self-storage market.
See More
- Joint Venture Formation: SmartStop Self Storage REIT and AXCS Capital have established a real estate credit joint venture targeting $100 million in investments, focusing on bridge debt and preferred equity in the self-storage sector, aiming to support entrepreneurial owners with flexible capital solutions.
- Diverse Investment Strategy: The venture will offer a full spectrum of structured capital solutions, including senior loans, mezzanine financing, and hybrid instruments, targeting ground-up development financing, value-add acquisitions, and recapitalizations, which is expected to enhance investment returns.
- Optimistic Market Outlook: Following a period of elevated supply pressure from 2023 to 2025, the self-storage sector's supply pipeline is expected to continue contracting, with SmartStop's management noting that occupancy rates above 90% will set the stage for a recovery in asking rents and net operating income, attracting more credit investors.
- Strategic Partnership Benefits: SmartStop's CEO H. Michael Schwartz stated that this joint venture combines SmartStop's expertise in self-storage with AXCS's lending platform experience, which is anticipated to yield attractive returns for both parties while providing support to self-storage owners during turbulent capital markets.
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- Valuation Confirmation: Strategic Storage Trust VI's board confirmed an estimated net asset value (NAV) of $10.00 per share as of September 30, 2025, reflecting the strength of the company's assets and the effectiveness of its investment strategy, which is expected to enhance long-term shareholder value.
- Valuation Process: Independent valuation firm Robert A. Stanger & Co. provided valuations for 26 wholly owned properties and five unconsolidated joint venture properties, estimating a NAV range of $8.30 to $10.76 per share, with the board ultimately selecting $10.00, slightly above the midpoint.
- Strategic Shift: The company strategically redirected capital towards high-quality opportunities in the Canadian market rather than pursuing aggressively priced acquisitions during the post-COVID self-storage boom, which is anticipated to create long-term value for shareholders and differentiate SST VI in a competitive landscape.
- Portfolio Overview: As of March 23, 2026, SST VI operates 13 properties in the U.S. comprising approximately 9,015 units and 1,079,395 rentable square feet, demonstrating strong operational performance and strategic asset management capabilities in the self-storage industry.
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- Valuation Confirmation: The Board of Strategic Storage Trust VI approved a net asset value (NAV) of $10.00 per share on March 20, 2026, reflecting the strength of the company's assets and the effectiveness of its investment strategy, which is expected to enhance long-term shareholder value.
- Portfolio Performance: As of September 30, 2025, the estimated NAV of the company's portfolio was approximately $273.2 million, a significant increase from $226.6 million as of March 31, 2024, demonstrating strong operational performance and strategic asset management capabilities in the self-storage market.
- Independent Assessment Support: Robert A. Stanger & Co., Inc. was engaged as an independent valuation firm, providing appraisal reports for 26 wholly owned properties and five unconsolidated joint venture properties, which supported the $10.00 valuation decision, ensuring transparency and accuracy in the process.
- Market Strategy Adjustment: The company strategically shifted its capital towards Canadian markets during the post-COVID period, identifying more attractive pricing and compelling long-term fundamentals, indicating its foresight and flexibility in the self-storage industry aimed at generating higher returns for shareholders.
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