Class action against Public Storage

On July 21, 2025, our firm filed a motion for authorization to institute a class action against Public Storage Canadian Properties (hereinafter “Public Storage”) in relation to the advertised price of $1.00 for the first month’s rental of a storage unit. This application seeks compensation for all consumers who were forced to pay more than $1.00 for the first month of renting a unit.

Our client’s story

By summer 2025, our client was planning to store his belongings, as well as those of his relatives, in preparation for a move. Having repeatedly seen the defendant’s representations that the first month’s rental of a storage unit would cost only $1.00, our client visited the defendant’s website and confirmed that the price displayed for the first month was indeed $1.00.

On July 1, 2025, our client went to the defendant’s branch in Laval to rent a storage unit. The attendant on duty confirmed to our client that the unit would cost only $1.00 for the first month and guided him through the visit.

However, when it came time to complete the transaction, our client was astonished to discover that he was being charged a $25.00 administrative fee plus tax, bringing the total cost of renting the unit to $60.87 for the first month.

Having therefore spent one of his rare days off visiting and renting the defendant’s unit, our client was forced to pay an additional $52.99 plus tax in extra fees. However, our client would likely have sought a less expensive unit or considered an alternative solution for storing his belongings if he had been informed in a timely manner that the actual price of his unit was $60.87 and not $1.00.

The proposed class action

In accordance with the Consumer Protection Act,  all merchants offering goods or services must provide consumers with comprehensive, accurate, and unambiguous information about the characteristics, use, and limitations of those goods or services, starting with the first advertisement.

However, Public Storage systematically advertises a $1.00 offer for the rental of a storage unit during the first month of use. This price, however, is subsequently increased by administrative fees, without prior warning or consumer consent, at the final stage of the transaction.

This concealment of the total price charged for the first month of storage unit rental constitutes a false or misleading representation, in violation of the obligations of transparency and clarity of information stipulated by the Act.

As a result of this lack of transparency from Public Storage, the class action proposed by our firm argues that consumers were misled, that they paid fees for a service whose fundamental terms and conditions were concealed, and that they suffered harm as a result of this lack of transparency.

We believe that this prohibited practice has affected several thousand, if not tens of thousands, of consumers in Quebec.

Therefore, on behalf of our representative and all members of the aggrieved group, we are seeking damages and punitive damages to punish the negligent, reckless, and deceptive behavior of Public Storage Canadian Properties.

The proposed class

This class action concerns all persons who have rented or reserved a storage unit from the defendant in Quebec and whose total price for the first month exceeded the price initially advertised since July 18, 2022.

Applications lodged with the Court

Application for authorization to bring a class action

Current status of the file

Awaiting authorization by a judge of the Superior Court.

How to be part of the class action

If you fall within the definition of the class covered by this class action, you are automatically part of the class action.