

Codi Wilson, CP24.com





Protesters are amassing outside the new Chick-fil-A restaurant in Yorkville this morning as the chain officially opens in Canada.

The U.S.-based fast-food restaurant, which has faced heavy criticism due to anti-LGBTQ stances taken by the company’s CEO Dan Cathy, is opening its first Toronto location on Yonge Street, just south of Bloor Street.

As Torontonians lined up outside the doors of the restaurant early Friday morning to be the first to get a taste of the chicken chain’s menu, dozens of protesters flocked to the area to express anger over Chick-fil-A’s expansion north of the border.

Holding signs that read “cluck-off” and “not in our city,” protesters repeatedly shouted the word “shame.”

“Our organization has decided to protest today because we understand Chick-fil-A to have support for anti-LGBTQ2S organizations and corporations and that fundamentally is counter to everything we work for in our city,” said Jaymie Sampa, who works for LGBTQ community centre the 519, located in the city’s Church-Wellesley Village.

The company’s CEO has donated millions to charities with a history of discrimination against members of the LGBTQ community.

“I think it is really important for us today that we can foster some meaningful conversations about the realities of when people have discriminatory policies, when anyone is targeted because of the sexual orientation, their gender identity, their gender expression,” Sampa said.

“We don’t have any space for that in our city.”

In a written statement released Friday, Wilson Yang, the operator of Chick-fil-A's Toronto location, said he respects the community's right to protest.

"We’re excited to see many guests already in line this morning in anticipation of opening our doors. We respect people’s right to share their opinions and want all Torontonians to know they are welcome at Chick-fil-A Yonge & Bloor," the statement read.

"Our focus is on offering a welcoming and respectful environment for our guests and team members and we encourage people to give us a try."

The restaurant, which was founded in 1946, has locations in 46 U.S. states and recently became the third largest fast-food chain in that country.