There are several Quebec businessmen who have been involved in major developments in both Quebec and Florida, and sometimes at the same time. We recently visited Montreal and Quebec City where we stayed at some of their hotels in both cities. In Montreal, we stayed at the Hotel Universel across from the Olympic stadium on Sherbrooke Street East and across from the Botanical Gardens. The hotel is owned by Giovanni Santoianni who has been involved in both Aztec RV Resort, the 5 star 650 lot Condominium RV Resort in greater Fort Lauderdale, and with the completely renovated Universal Palms Hotel in Fort Lauderdale, minutes from the beach headed by Jean Guy Sylvain.
In Quebec City, we attended a breast cancer fund raising event at the Hotel Concorde, at the top glass rotating restaurant “Le Ciel” offering the greatest view of the city, despite the pink lighting set for the event. The restaurant is run by Restos Plaisirs, a large well know restaurant chain, headed by Pierre Moreau who attended the cancer fund raiser headed by the Editor of Le Journal De Québec, Louise Cordeau.
The new ownership group of the Concorde Hotel is headed by Jean Guy Sylvain of Quebec City, the developer of Aztec RV Resort, very well known in Canada and the United States. Claude Chang, hotel owner from Montreal is now involved in the Aztec RV Resort. Paul Durocher from Montreal, also involved in the various Florida real estate investments also attend the cancer fund raiser.
Jean-Guy Sylvain is presently in Quebec supervising another major addition to his Hotel Universel across from Laval University.
Florida was lucky to have such Quebec Businessmen believe in this state when Florida suffered its worst real estate recession in its history. Sylvain, Santoianni and Durocher were major investors in the Florida economy starting in 2009, when few Americans believed in investing in Florida. They have done the same in the Province of Quebec.
Canadian tourist flock to Florida’s east Coast and Canadian businessmen are a major source of developments of the Florida economy. New large Canadian companies such as Pool & Patio Depot recently opened in Pompano Beach, have been opening successful companies in Florida.
All we need now is better immigration laws making it easier for Canadians to come to Florida for either work or pleasure. Canadian visas for those needed to work in businesses needing knowledge of Canadian customs and the French language as spoken in Quebec, are now very difficult to obtain, even for Canadian companies based in Florida.
