I have three canisters running (one for almost 20 years and one for almost 19) and none have totes. I have had one leak and flood part of a room. A tote would not have mattered in that case for except before it overflowed onto the floor. Plus being in a tote might have shorted out the still running filter on the way to overflowing. That may or may not have also harmed the fish in the tank above.
A tote will help with a slow leak that happens within a time-frame where one discovers it. It will also help keep the wood under it dry when moving the filter when it needs cleaning. I paint such interior wood on stands with exterior grade enamel paint which is pretty water repellent. I should also say that my stands are nowhere near as attractive as yours. Mine do not look like a nice piece of furniture.
What I do though is I put use SS hose clamps on all canister hose connections. I have them on both ends of the the intake and return hoses as well as both ends of the inline heater. A wise man with 50+ years in the hobby, including making his living in pet and fish related businesses, taught me never to trust hose barb connections.