N.B. potato chip maker says changes coming, as residents file claims

The Covered Bridge Potato Chip factory site is seen in Hartland, N.B., on Friday, May 9, 2025. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Graham Hughes

FREDERICTON — A popular potato chip maker in New Brunswick says it is continuing efforts to limit its facility’s impact on nearby residents.

The Covered Bridge Potato Chip company says it started taking steps last year that included setting up a large fence, planting trees and adding sound-deadening measures.

The company’s president Brook Dickinson said in a statement Friday it would complete any outstanding tasks in the plan for its Woodstock, N.B., facility in the coming weeks and that it was in full compliance with municipal and provincial regulations.

Over a dozen residents of the town have said they are planning to take legal action against Covered Bridge for ruining their neighbourhood with noise, smells and traffic.

The allegations come less than a year after the company opened the facility following a fire that destroyed its original plant in nearby Waterville.

The group of 17 residents initially sent their claims to a provincial regulator called the Farm Practices Review Board.

The residents could pursue their case before the Court of King’s Bench if the review board decides it does not fall under its jurisdiction.

Dickinson said Covered Bridge has been “an active and positive member” of the town and region.

“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,” Dickinson wrote.

“We appreciate the continued support as we work to create more jobs here in Carleton County.”

By Eli Ridder

This report by The Canadian Press was first published May 8, 2026.