(Connect has handed out its third-annual Canadian Women in Real Estate Awards. This story profiles Bliss Edwards, head of Canada for SmartStop Self-Storage REIT.)

By Amy Wolff Sorter

As an executive vice-president and head of Canada, Bliss Edwards leads SmartStop’s continued expansion across the nation. She is also involved with the company’s growing joint venture with SmartCentres in Toronto.

She joined SmartStop in 2019 as managing director for Canada. Since then, she has overseen all areas of Canadian property acquisitions and development, growing the pipeline of net rentable square feet fourfold. Edwards has played an active role in all aspects of the business, including sourcing new opportunities and negotiating deals.

Under her oversight, SmartStop has grown to become a top-10 storage operator in North America, a top-five operator in Canada, and the No.1 operator in the Greater Toronto Area by total properties.

Edwards previously spent four years as the senior director of development at Dymon Storage, and prior to that, 10 years in land-use planning approvals with public and private organizations.

These are just some of the reasons why Connect Canada CRE honoured Bliss Edwards with a 2025 Canadian Women in Real Estate Award. The awards celebrate the achievements and inspirational stories of women who have reached respected leadership positions and taken on mentorship roles.

Read about all of the 2025 CWIRE award recipients.