questions from canada

Hey there, I have been browsing online for answers to my questions about storage unit auctions in Ontario. I have always been directed to the Canadian Self Storage Association website which is not very helpful.

I was told by my step father and a couple of his buddies that the rules were different in the U.S for storage unit laws then they are for Canadian storage unit laws, but they didn't have any concrete information about the differences.

Regardless, I have never been to a storage unit auction before but I would really like to check it out, if I am unable to find storage auctions in my area (southwest ontario), I am willing to cross the border into Michigan where I know they have auctions and I know the rules and how everything works.

If I did auction for something and won in the states, does anybody know about the hassle of bringing a truckload of random stuff back over the border? Would I have to pay duty?
In the end I might end up renting and storing my items in the states and ship out of the states because it is cheaper that way too. 

I was told by my step father and a couple of his buddies that the rules were different in the U.S for storage unit laws then they are for Canadian storage unit laws, but they didn't have any concrete information about the differences.

Go to, not call, a storage facility and ask them. That will be your best bet.

As to your other questions, border crossing, duty etc. I doubt anyone here can help, but maybe !

On the border crossing or duty, you may want to contact the officials that protect the border. Other  than that I am not sure. But you could always not be so honest telling them you are helping people, family, yourself move. That would be up to you though, and I am not sure on the legalties.

I would be very carefull crossing the border with storage goods.  For certain do not do it without detail sorting first no telling what may be in the stuff and it may be hard to explain when customs finds some contraband how it came that you are smuggling it across the border.

Thanks for the replies, anything that I would re-sell would most likely be shipped from usps anyway so storing it in the U.S then coming back to ship it really isn't a big deal, hopefully it won't be too hard to get a little system working.

If you live in Ontario, there is alot of auctions going on in that area. Why go to the US to attend auctions? To me thats just making it complicated for your self.

GTA (greater Toronto area) has plenty of auctions every month. There is also some good ones in London,ON every month.

Other cities that has auctions on regular basis is Chatham,ON and Windsor,ON.

Alot of the auctions in Ontario is made public in the media, but also online.

Here is an auction for you tomorrow in Toronto.

1472 The Queensway, Etobicoke ON M8Z1T5, will be having an auction on May 25th at 11AM.
There will be 10 rooms for auction. This will be held as a silent auction for each room. All contents from each room need to be fully removed by winning bidder. Come early to register , will start at 11am sharp. will except cash debit or credit card for payment. also winning bidder will have to give a $200 deposit for the room until vacated.

thanks for the listing, where would I go to find the best listings in London, Chatham and GTA area? I'm looking to stay away from the online listings, and I have heard the best way is to just call and ask but if they are going to give me information that is advertised in the paper, I don't mind picking it up.

I will probably call a few places in London and ask them about some future auction dates.

I had someone contact me a while back through my blog or something asking questions about auctions, he was also from Canada.

He and I were emailling back and forth for a while I was trying to help him out in answering questions as much as I could.

He wound up getting in touch with someone and though I don't remember exactly what he told me it was pretty interesting.

In the US the rules about how auctions are run, how soon a facilty can auction stuff, etc is pretty clear cut. I remember him copying and pasting something in an email to me with the actual laws and a lawyers take on them.

It was pretty interseting. From what he had told me essentially Canada doesn't really have any clear laws on abandoned storage units or liens involving them so it's kind of a patchwork of related laws people try to use. Basically sounded like people and by people I mean various facilities and companies were mixing and matching abandoned property laws with lien laws involving real estate and things like that. Sounded pretty complicated and unorganized and unclear.

Like I said this is just third hand knowledge a guy emailed me but found it intersting and he seemed to have done som eresearch on the matter.

I had someone contact me a while back through my blog or something asking questions about auctions, he was also from Canada.

He and I were emailling back and forth for a while I was trying to help him out in answering questions as much as I could.

He wound up getting in touch with someone and though I don't remember exactly what he told me it was pretty interesting.

In the US the rules about how auctions are run, how soon a facilty can auction stuff, etc is pretty clear cut. I remember him copying and pasting something in an email to me with the actual laws and a lawyers take on them.

It was pretty interseting. From what he had told me essentially Canada doesn't really have any clear laws on abandoned storage units or liens involving them so it's kind of a patchwork of related laws people try to use. Basically sounded like people and by people I mean various facilities and companies were mixing and matching abandoned property laws with lien laws involving real estate and things like that. Sounded pretty complicated and unorganized and unclear.

Like I said this is just third hand knowledge a guy emailed me but found it intersting and he seemed to have done som eresearch on the matter.

Thanks for the info, I saw on CSSA (Canadian self storage association) website that they were working on "liens" or something. The website itself was very uninformative about any auction info, but for laws and regulations it might be interesting to some.  (cssa.ca)