# Make Space Storage Opened a $12 Million, 393-Unit St. Thomas, Ontario, Facility on July 16, 2026

> Make Space Storage invested $12 million to open 393 units and 55 RV pads in St. Thomas, Ontario, on July 16, 2026. The 15-building campus strengthens a Canadian platform that already spans six provinces while U.S. REITs chase billion-dollar mergers.

- URL: https://www.yourcaio.co/news/make-space-storage-st-thomas-ontario-12-million-july-2026
- Published: 2026-07-22
- Author: David Cartolano (https://www.yourcaio.co/about)
- Category: Acquisitions
- Tags: Make Space Storage, Ontario, Canada, New Development, RV Storage
- Source: [ACCESS Newswire / Make Space Storage](https://www.accessnewswire.com/newsroom/en/real-estate/make-space-storage-opens-new-12-million-facility-in-st.-thomas-ontario-1191619)

## Key Takeaways

- Make Space Storage opened a new facility at 420 South Edgeware Road in St. Thomas, Ontario, on July 16, 2026, representing a $12 million investment with 393 storage units and 55 outdoor RV parking spaces, per ACCESS Newswire.
- The 15-building campus delivers more than 60,600 square feet of rentable storage space with heated drive-up units in multiple sizes, plus secure outdoor parking for RVs, boats, and vehicles.
- Construction began in August 2025. Make Space Storage developed and constructed the project in-house with consulting support from Zelinka Priamo Ltd., LRL Engineering, Absolute Drafting & Design Inc., Ron Koudys Landscape Architects Inc., and Trachte Building Systems.
- CEO Danny Freedman said the project reflects confidence in the St. Thomas market and commitment to expanding across Ontario. Make Space Storage operates more than 60 facilities across British Columbia, Alberta, Saskatchewan, Manitoba, Ontario, and Quebec.
- The opening lands the same week [QuadReal closed a $182 million Ontario chain buy](https://www.yourcaio.co/news/quadreal-self-stor-ontario-182-million-acquisition-june-2026) and [Public Storage targeted its July 22 NSA merger close](https://www.yourcaio.co/news/nsa-shareholders-approve-public-storage-merger-july-2026), showing Canadian storage capital still building while U.S. REITs consolidate.

Make Space Storage opened a $12 million self-storage campus at 420 South Edgeware Road in St. Thomas, Ontario, on July 16, 2026, delivering 393 heated drive-up units, 55 outdoor RV parking spaces, and more than 60,600 rentable square feet across 15 buildings, per ACCESS Newswire. Construction started in August 2025. Units are available now with online reservations and move-ins.

The deal is greenfield platform expansion, not a distressed trade. Make Space Storage developed and built the project itself while [Public Storage closes a $10.5 billion REIT merger](https://www.yourcaio.co/news/nsa-shareholders-approve-public-storage-merger-july-2026) and [national U.S. street rates fall 2.4% in July](https://www.yourcaio.co/news/yardi-matrix-july-2026-street-rates-occupancy-softening-2026). Canadian operators are still planting capital in secondary Ontario markets where institutional supply remains thinner than the Greater Toronto corridor.

---

## What Did Make Space Storage Build in St. Thomas?

The St. Thomas project is a multi-building drive-up campus designed for household and vehicle storage demand in Southwestern Ontario.

| Feature | Specification |
|---------|---------------|
| Investment | $12 million |
| Buildings | 15 |
| Storage units | 393 |
| Rentable SF | 60,600+ |
| RV parking | 55 outdoor spaces |
| Unit type | Heated drive-up, multiple sizes |
| Construction start | August 2025 |
| Open date | July 16, 2026 |
| Security | Gated access, perimeter fencing, 24/7 video |

Make Space Storage handled development and construction internally. The consulting team included Zelinka Priamo Ltd., LRL Engineering, Absolute Drafting & Design Inc., Ron Koudys Landscape Architects Inc., and Trachte Building Systems.

From its origins in Pender Harbour, British Columbia, Make Space Storage has grown into one of Canada's larger independent storage platforms, with more than 60 locations across six provinces.

---

## Why Does St. Thomas Fit Make Space Storage's Ontario Strategy?

CEO Danny Freedman framed the investment as a bet on long-term local demand: "This development reflects our confidence in the St. Thomas market and our commitment to expanding our presence across Ontario."

St. Thomas sits outside the GTA's densest supply clusters. That matters in 2026. [QuadReal paid $182 million for Ontario's Self Stor chain in June](https://www.yourcaio.co/news/quadreal-self-stor-ontario-182-million-acquisition-june-2026), stacking institutional density in established markets. Make Space Storage is doing the opposite: owner-developed supply in a community where a $12 million campus is a material addition.

Executive Advisor Don Herzog emphasized the team execution: "Bringing a development of this scale to life requires collaboration, expertise, and commitment from many people."

The RV parking component is not decorative. Fifty-five outdoor spaces target boat, trailer, and vehicle storage demand that standard 10-by-10 units cannot serve. That mixed-use layout mirrors U.S. Sun Belt developments adding outdoor vehicle pads alongside climate-controlled rows.

---

## How Does This Compare to Other July 2026 Canadian Storage Activity?

July 2026 delivered a split Canadian map.

On the institutional side, [RedBox Storage doubled its Hong Kong network](https://www.yourcaio.co/news/redbox-storage-hong-kong-17-asset-portfolio-july-2026) with a 17-asset portfolio closing July 16, 2026, backed by Brookfield. [Margaux REIT signed a $12.5 million Quebec LOI](https://www.yourcaio.co/news/margaux-reit-saint-basile-quebec-12-5-million-acquisition-july-2026) on July 10, 2026, targeting a fifth property in the Montérégie-Estrie region.

On the operator-developer side, Make Space Storage's St. Thomas opening is owner-built, owner-branded, and sized for a secondary city rather than a trophy MSA.

| Project | Capital | Units | Market type | Buyer/operator |
|---------|---------|-------|-------------|----------------|
| Make Space St. Thomas | $12M development | 393 + 55 RV pads | Secondary Ontario | Make Space Storage |
| Margaux Saint-Basile LOI | $12.5M acquisition | 76,000 SF building | Montreal South Shore | Margaux REIT |
| QuadReal Self Stor (June) | $182M portfolio | Multi-property | Ontario platform | QuadReal |

The dollar figures rhyme. The strategies do not. Margaux buys stabilized income. Make Space Storage builds lease-up risk into a platform it already operates.

---

## What Should U.S. Operators Learn From Make Space's Development Model?

Three takeaways apply beyond the Canadian border.

**Vertical integration still works when capital markets reward scale differently.** Make Space Storage did not sell the St. Thomas development to a REIT manager on day one. It owns the asset, brands the asset, and runs online leasing itself. That is the private-operator playbook U.S. developers increasingly use when [third-party management crosses 300 facilities](https://www.yourcaio.co/news/white-label-storage-300-facilities-third-party-management-2026) but REIT acquisition multiples compress.

**RV and boat pads are product, not afterthought.** Fifty-five outdoor spaces on a 393-unit site is a double-digit percentage of total rentable capacity aimed at vehicle storage, the segment [institutional capital is still underbuilding](https://www.yourcaio.co/news/rv-boat-storage-institutionalization-2026).

**Secondary markets clear when the developer knows the province.** Make Space Storage already operates across Ontario. St. Thomas is a geographic extension, not a market-entry gamble.

---

## The Numbers Worth Writing Down

- **Open date:** July 16, 2026
- **Address:** 420 South Edgeware Road, St. Thomas, Ontario
- **Total investment:** $12 million
- **Units:** 393 heated drive-up
- **Rentable SF:** 60,600+
- **RV parking:** 55 outdoor spaces
- **Buildings:** 15
- **Construction start:** August 2025
- **Portfolio scale:** 60+ facilities across six Canadian provinces
- **Grand opening event:** September 2026 (details forthcoming)

---

## Canada Keeps Building While U.S. Headlines Fixate on Mergers

Make Space Storage's St. Thomas opening will not trend on REIT earnings calls. It should still appear on every acquisition screen that tracks where supply is actually entering the market.

A $12 million, 15-building campus in Southwestern Ontario is exactly the transaction type that national averages miss: private capital, local execution, mixed household and vehicle product, and a platform operator betting that Ontario's secondary cities can absorb incremental square footage even when U.S. occupancy prints slip below 90%.

The housing freeze may be redirecting U.S. demand toward staying-put storage, per [Storable's 2026 moving forecast](https://www.yourcaio.co/news/housing-freeze-storage-demand-storable-2026-moving-forecast). Make Space Storage is building the physical capacity to capture whatever version of that demand shows up north of the border.

---

## Sources

- [Make Space Storage Opens New $12 Million Facility in St. Thomas, Ontario](https://www.accessnewswire.com/newsroom/en/real-estate/make-space-storage-opens-new-12-million-facility-in-st.-thomas-ontario-1191619), ACCESS Newswire
- [QuadReal Pays $182 Million for Ontario's Self Stor Chain](https://www.yourcaio.co/news/quadreal-self-stor-ontario-182-million-acquisition-june-2026), Your Ciao News
- [NSA Shareholders Approved Public Storage Merger July 14, 2026](https://www.yourcaio.co/news/nsa-shareholders-approve-public-storage-merger-july-2026), Your Ciao News
- [Yardi Matrix July 2026 Street Rates and Occupancy](https://www.yourcaio.co/news/yardi-matrix-july-2026-street-rates-occupancy-softening-2026), Your Ciao News

## Frequently Asked Questions

### When did Make Space Storage open in St. Thomas, Ontario?

Make Space Storage completed and opened its St. Thomas facility on July 16, 2026, per an ACCESS Newswire release. The property at 420 South Edgeware Road began construction in August 2025 and represents a $12 million investment in the community.

### How many units does the St. Thomas Make Space Storage facility have?

The St. Thomas campus includes 393 storage units across 15 buildings, totaling more than 60,600 square feet of rentable space. The site also offers 55 outdoor RV parking spaces. Units are heated drive-up configurations in multiple sizes.

### Who developed the Make Space Storage St. Thomas project?

Make Space Storage developed and constructed the project internally. Consulting partners included Zelinka Priamo Ltd., LRL Engineering, Absolute Drafting & Design Inc., Ron Koudys Landscape Architects Inc., and Trachte Building Systems, per the July 16, 2026 announcement.

### How large is Make Space Storage's Canadian portfolio?

Make Space Storage operates more than 60 storage facilities across British Columbia, Alberta, Saskatchewan, Manitoba, Ontario, and Quebec as Entreposage Make Space in Quebec. The company also offers portable storage container rentals, parking, and packing supplies.

### What security features does the St. Thomas facility offer?

The St. Thomas property provides gated access, perimeter fencing, and 24/7 video surveillance. Customers can reserve and manage units online. Make Space Storage plans a community grand opening celebration in September 2026 with activities and facility tours.

---

Cite as: David Cartolano, "Make Space Storage Opened a $12 Million, 393-Unit St. Thomas, Ontario, Facility on July 16, 2026," YourCAIO.co, 2026-07-22, https://www.yourcaio.co/news/make-space-storage-st-thomas-ontario-12-million-july-2026