Accessibility advocate Taylor Lindsay Noel pushes Toronto toward real change with 'Access by Tay'

Taylor Lindsay Noel was once a gymnast with Olympian dreams until an accident left her paralyzed. Now, as a wheelchair user and accessibility advocate known online as "Access by Tay," she documents what Toronto still gets wrong — and holds businesses accountable when it does.

Noel launched "Access by Tay" to review restaurants, neighbourhoods, transit and other public spaces through an accessibility lens, raising awareness about barriers many people never have to consider. She checks whether entrances are step-free, whether doors open with a button, whether tables can be moved for wheelchair access, whether washrooms are accessible, stall size, grab bars, and mirror height.

The work has produced tangible results. After Noel reviewed a restaurant called Bar Romy and raised concerns about washroom accessibility, staff completely changed the space within two days. "It's really affirming that what I'm saying is resonating with these businesses," she said.

Noel emphasizes that accessibility benefits everyone, not just people currently disabled. "If we're all blessed enough to get old, you will have a disability at some point," she said. "So when we advocate for accessibility, it's not just advocating for people who are disabled now. It's advocating for future you."

For Noel, spontaneity has become impossible. "There's no room for spontaneity because of the inaccuracy of information that's out there and the varying amounts of understanding of what disability inclusion really is," she said. She has also worked as a board member for the Shine Foundation and participated in a summit with over 150 kids with physical disabilities from across Canada, teaching the difference between advocacy and influencing. As HighOnCity reported in August, she gave the city a 6/10 for accessibility — a grade that reflects how far Toronto still has to go.