Thurso, Quebec
Thurso | |
|---|---|
 | |
.svg) Coat of arms | |
 Location within Papineau RCM. | |
| Country |  Canada |
| Province |  Quebec |
| Region | Outaouais |
| RCM | Papineau |
| Constituted | January 16, 1886 |
| Government | |
| • Mayor | Benoit Lauzon |
| • Federal riding | Argenteuil—La Petite-Nation |
| • Prov. riding | Papineau |
| Area | |
| • Total | 7.40 km2 (2.86 sq mi) |
| • Land | 6.27 km2 (2.42 sq mi) |
| Population (2011)[2] | |
| • Total | 2,455 |
| • Density | 391.8/km2 (1,015/sq mi) |
| • Pop 2006-2011 |  6.8% |
| • Dwellings | 1,075 |
| Time zone | UTC−5 (EST) |
| • Summer (DST) | UTC−4 (EDT) |
| Postal code(s) | |
| Area code | 819 |
| Highways |  R-148  R-317 |
| Website | www |
Thurso is a city in Papineau Regional County Municipality in the Outaouais region of western Quebec. It is located on the Ottawa River, and is within Canada's National Capital Region. Its population was 2,455 as of the Canada 2011 Census.
Demographics
Population trend:[4]
- Population in 2011: 2455 (2006 to 2011 population change: 6.8%)
- Population in 2006: 2299
- Population in 2001: 2446
- 2001 to 2006 population change: -6.0 %
- Population in 1996: 2498
- Population in 1991: 2507
Private dwellings (occupied by usual residents): 1042
Languages:[5]
- English as first language: 3%
- French as first language: 96%
- English and French as first language: 1%
Transportation
Thurso's main access roads are currently Route 148 (running west-east) and Route 317 (running south-north). Autoroute 50, approximately 3 km north of Thurso along Route 317 complements Route 148 as Thurso's second connection to Gatineau and Ottawa. Voyageur Colonial Bus Lines provides service to Ottawa and to Montreal. The Quebec Gatineau Railway provides rail freight transport.
Industry
Thurso is known for the unpleasant odour emanating from its paper mill, which originates from the burning of chemical residue when the pulp is manufactured and the smell was there well before the retaining basin was built. Fortress Paper employs 335 people in Thurso to produce 250,000 tonnes hardwood kraft market pulp. However, the company had financial difficulties and led to its operations temporarily being shut down in 2006 and again for an eight-week period in 2009.
The Lauzon sawmill was another major employer for the community, but its building was destroyed by a fire on March 8, 2007, putting 100 workers temporarily out of work. However, plans for relaunching the production activity started shortly after the event.
Thurso's only bar/hotel, Hotel Lafontaine, burned twice in 2009; once in February and again a month later, with the latter fire resulting in complete destruction. In 2010, Hotel Lafontaine reopened just beside its previous location.
Earthquake
An earthquake with a magnitude of 4.5 was centered north in Thurso at 8:39 pm, on February 24, 2006. an earthquake with a magnitude of 4.1 was centered in Thurso at 3;39pm on September 18, 2006
Famous people from Thurso
Hockey legend Guy Lafleur was born in Thurso and has an arena and street named after him.
Bill Clement, another NHL player who went on to become a well-known hockey commentator, also came from Thurso during the same time period as Lafleur.
References and notes
- ^ a b "Répertoire des municipalités: Geographic code 80050". www.mamh.gouv.qc.ca (in French). Ministère des Affaires municipales et de l'Habitation.
- ^ a b "Thurso, Quebec (Code 2480050) Census Profile". 2011 census. Government of Canada - Statistics Canada.
- ^ "Banque de noms de lieux du Québec: Reference number 62600". toponymie.gouv.qc.ca (in French). Commission de toponymie du Québec.
- ^ Statistics Canada: 1996, 2001, 2006, 2011 census
- ^ Canada 2006 Census
External links
Places adjacent to Thurso, Quebec | |
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 Subdivisions of Papineau Regional County Municipality | |
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