A New Brunswick potato chip company says steps have been taken to reduce disruptions to nearby residents after some community members launched a legal action alleging excessive noise, industrial odours, and intense lighting at the factory.
Brook Dickinson, executive vice president of Covered Bridge Potato Chips , said in a statement to theToronto Sunon Friday that the company is “committed to a plan of action” that began last year for its facility located at an industrial park in Woodstock, about 100 km west of Fredericton.
According to Dickinson, the factory is “operating in full compliance of all applicable municipal and provincial regulatory requirements.”
Dickinson said the snack food company heard from two members of the community last November about their concerns living near the facility, which opened in September 2025 after a fire destroyed its original plant in Waterville in March 2024.
“We want to assure our neighbours and the wider community that we take these concerns seriously,” Dickinson said in a statement last fall.
Steps taken to address community concerns
He said action has been taken since the meeting, which includes demisters — mist removal equipment — to stacks on the roof and mufflers to deaden outgoing noise.
Further upgrades to the facility will be made this spring, Dickinson added, including constructing a large fence that meets regulatory requirements to close a gap between the plant and nearby subdivision, as well as landscaping including a wide variety of trees and bushes.
“Our team takes pride in being an active and positive member of the Town of Woodstock and greater Carleton County region,” Dickinson said.
“We contribute regularly and give back to the community that has supported us for over 17 years, including the last two years after our plant fire. We appreciate the continued support as we work to create more jobs here in Carleton County.”
Residents allege significant disruptions
Earlier in the week, a number of residents said they took legal action against the company after claiming its factory has caused significant disruptions to their quality of life.
More specifically, they said the presence of the factory has created persistent conditions that have negatively and substantially affected nearby homes and properties. Their complaints include excessive noise, industrial odours, and intense lighting.
Many of the residents involved in the legal matter have lived in the neighbourhood for decades, with several having residing there for more than 50 years, the claim says.
In addition, they said natural vegetation, which acted as a buffer between industrial operations and residential areas, had been removed.
“These are not new homes built beside an established industrial site,” Melody Hannah, one of the residents, said in a statement.
“Many of us have lived here peacefully for generations. The unexpected scale and intensity of industrial activity now taking place have fundamentally changed daily life in our neighbourhood for the worse.”
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Factory evolved into industrial operation, claim states
The claim alleges the factory has evolved into a permanent, high-intensity industrial operation.
One of the safety concerns area residents outlined in the legal action is the addition of a 30,000-litre propane tank, which fuels the new facility’s additional fry cookers.
The residents, represented by New Brunswick law firm Chiasson & Roy, said the legal claim was filed as a last resort.
“We support economic development,” said Robert Harrison, another resident. “The goal is not to oppose business or employment, but to protect long-established neighbourhoods from excessive industrial intrusion. The Covered Bridge Potato Chip Ltd. plant is simply in the wrong place.”
Company started as family business
Covered Bridge describes itself as a fourth-generation family business located in Hartland, N.B., which is home to the longest covered bridge in the world.
In 2004, brothers Ryan and Matt Albright started their own potato distribution company and bought the family farm. Five years later, they launched Covered Bridge Potato Chips, which are now sold across North America.
