Woodstock officials say municipality’s noise bylaw doesn’t apply to industrial operations
Homeowners in Woodstock’s Poole Street subdivision are demanding that the town address the noise coming from the Covered Bridge Potato Chips production plant.
The plant was moved to Woodstock earlier this year after the company decided not to rebuild in Waterville following a 2024 fire that destroyed the facility. The Woodsock plant is now producing potato chips around the clock, Monday to Friday. Neighbours who formed a group called ‘Our Town, Our Voice’ say the noise and odours coming from the plant have made it impossible for them to enjoy their properties.
“The noise is intense and constant,” explained Henry Street resident Gordon Porter, who is a spokesperson for the group, which represents more than 50 neighbours. “I wear hearing aids, and even with them out, it’s excessive. I have to close all the inside doors of the house to try and get some sleep, and my bedroom is at the opposite end, at the back of my home.”
The town, which last year amended its industrial park bylaw to add ‘food processing’ to the types of businesses allowed to operate, did not consult nearby residents before giving the company the go-ahead.
On Wednesday, Oct. 22, ‘Our Town, Our Voice’ sent an email and a loud video to the town council and administrative staff, encouraging them to watch the video with the sound turned up, and demanding that the municipality enforce its own noise bylaws, which set residential quiet hours from 11 p.m. to 7 a.m. daily. Residents want the town to direct the chip processing plant to at least stop production during those hours.
In the municipality’s emailed response to the group’s demand, Town Clerk Christine Jewett said the bylaw doesn’t apply to industrial operations.
“We understand that you have noise concerns; however, the province has established noise level parameters for industrial facilities that allow for certain levels of sound at all hours of the day,” she wrote in an email. “Please reference the attached document that provides a full explanation. The link below outlines the process to submit a request to ELG (Environment and Local Government) on a suspected violation of the act.”
Jewett provided the document and the link and then explained that the CAO, Allan Walker, has raised the noise issue with ELG, but added, “Where ELG has jurisdiction on this matter, you may find it beneficial to submit the request directly as it will trigger a formal investigation.”
Porter said the response is “more of the same.”
“Defer everything seems to be their go-to action,” he said.
Porter said his group’s biggest disappointment has been “radio silence” from the council.
“We have received no confirmation that they’ve monitored noise intensity or the effluent through the smoke stacks that people are complaining about,” said Porter.
On Sept. 2, residents requested documents from the town under the Right to Information and Protection of Privacy Act (RTIPPA), including email correspondence between Covered Bridge Potato Chips and town staff. Porter said the group received the package from the town last week.
“In emails between Covered Bridge Chips and Andrew Garnett (Woodstock Director of Planning and Development), Mr. (Ryan) Albright said there would be practically no sound outside the building,” said Porter. “Maybe the noise goes up and travels? It certainly isn’t silent where I live.”
The plant had a natural barrier of trees and bushes before renovations, but those were removed this spring, which Porter said the town should never have allowed.
“Mr. Albright said in an email to a town official that he is planning to order a chain link fence with barbed wire,” he said. “A fence won’t stop the smell or the noise — everyone knows that. Pretending it will is ridiculous and insulting to the people who live here.”
Porter said his group isn’t giving up, but said the expectation that the town will help residents dealing with excessive sound and odour is growing ever more unlikely by the day.
“I would like to have hope that the town will do something, but sadly, I don’t, because there is no evidence of that today, but we’re not letting this go.”
NOTE:
On Friday, Oct. 24, the River Valley Sun received an email from Woodstock Town Clerk Christine Jewett.”
“I would like to put it on record that the statement below from your article Neighbours of Covered Bridge Potato Chips Demand action from town dated October 23, 2025, is incorrect. The town communicated the proposed amendment to the by-law on the notice section of their website, Facebook page and an email notification to residents who opted in to receive mass notifications.”
The town, which last year amended its industrial park bylaw to add ‘food processing’ to the types of businesses allowed to operate, did not consult nearby residents before giving the company the go-ahead.
The River Valley Sun did not change the story, citing that the above email explains notification, not consultation.
