Woodstock Residents Sue Covered Bridge Over Noise and Odor

Residents of a quiet neighborhood in Woodstock, New Brunswick, have filed legal claims against Covered Bridge Potato Chips Ltd., alleging that the company's factory operations are causing significant disruption to their lives through noise, odor, and light pollution. The dispute centers on a facility that the company retrofitted from a storage warehouse in 2025, located just one street away from residential homes.

A group of 17 residents, represented by lawyer Basile Chiasson, have submitted separate claims to the Farm Practices Review Board, a tribunal for agricultural complaints. Their stated goal is to have the chipmaker removed from the neighborhood. The legal process could proceed to the Court of King's Bench if the review board determines the matter falls outside its jurisdiction.

The residents describe a profound change in their quality of life. Susan Ryan, a retiree, said the constant hum from the factory and the smell of cooking chips make it difficult to enjoy her backyard, comparing the environment to a prison yard. Graphic designer Kelly Atherton, who works from her home a few hundred meters from the plant, said the odor is nauseating and has invaded her living...