Last month in the Caf’conc’ Room at the Marriott Chateau Champlain, founders and long-time partners and prominent Jewish businessmen Jack Sofer and Mike Yuval of Tidan Hospitality & Real Estate Group each received the Member’s Medal in recognition of their outstanding contributions to Quebec’s economic and community development. This prestigious award, presented by the National Assembly of Quebec, honors citizens who have demonstrated exceptional civic engagement, outstanding entrepreneurial leadership, and significant philanthropic impact.
On hand to salute Sofer and Yuval and make the presentations were: The Honorable Christine Fréchette, Minister of Economy, Innovation and Energy, Minister responsible for Regional Economic Development, Minister responsible for the Metropolis and the Montreal Region, and Member of Parliament for Sanguinet; . Élisabeth Prass, Liberal Member of Parliament for D’Arcy–McGee and Jennifer Maccarone, Liberal Member of the National Assembly for Westmount–Saint-Louis.
Sofer and Yuval began their adventure together in Montreal. As young men, they quickly found themselves on the same wavelength, sharing an entrepreneurial spirit, strong family values, and a desire to build something meaningful. Their collaboration began modestly in 1970 with the renovation of a dilapidated duplex in Montreal. Each borrowed $2,500 from the Royal Bank and devoted themselves to the work. After renovating, renting, and selling the duplex, they repeated the process, step by step, until they achieved their current success.
“We never imagined back then that our first small investment would become a business like this,” said Sofer. “We owe everything to those who believed in us—our families, our teams, our partners. This medal isn’t just for Mike and me—it’s for everyone who has walked this path with us.”
“People don’t work for us—they work with us,” added Yuval. “We support each other, we grow together, and we succeed together.”
In the 1980s, Tidan’s portfolio expanded. In 1987, the two entrepreneurs acquired a 23-storey office building in downtown Montreal, which remains the group’s headquarters today. In 1988, they purchased two properties in New Brunswick: Parkway Mall and Prince Edward Square.In 1991, Tidan entered the hotel business with the acquisition of the Ocean Sky Hotel and Resort in Fort Lauderdale, Florida. Today, the group owns 12hotels in Canada and the United States.
During the 1990s and 2000s, other buildings were added to the portfolio, including the Île-des-Sœurs Tennis Club, which complements the grounds of the Mont Gabriel Hotel. In 2006, they acquired Club Mount Stephen, a heritage landmark in Montreal’s Golden Square Mile. In 2012, the most ambitious project began: the creation of Le Mount Stephen, a luxury hotel affiliated with Leading Hotels of the World, incorporating the historic Club Mount Stephen. The hotel opened its doors on May 2, 2017, and received a Michelin key.
In 2018, Tidan made its largest acquisition to date with the purchase of the Marriott Château Champlain, an iconic Montreal hotel, followed by a $60 million renovation based on the vision of Sofer and Yuval.
In 2023, the revitalization of the Mont Gabriel Resort ($25 million) began, becoming a modern destination focused on nature, sports, conventions, and leisure in 2024.
Beyond their business activities, Sofer and Yuval have made philanthropy a central part of Tidan’s identity. The group supports health, mental health, and youth programs through both corporate and individual donations. More recently, Tidan donated $500,000 to a major Montreal hospital for the purchase of state-of-the-art medical equipment, reaffirming its commitment to local healthcare.
A central element of their friendship is supporting each other through difficult times. By giving each other the freedom to make decisions while communicating transparently, they have built trust and shared responsibility. “Support each other when you’re down” and “give each other freedom to decide, but always keep each other informed,” they advise. This approach has enabled their partnership to remain strong and resilient, even in the face of adversity. They emphasize that success is not only based on talent or hard work, but also on the strength of human connections and collective resilience.
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By Mike Cohen
