Thurso, Quebec
Thurso, Quebec
| Thurso | |||
|---|---|---|---|
 |
|||
|
|||
| Coordinates: 45°36′N 75°15′W / 45.6°N 75.25°W | |||
| Country | Canada | ||
| Province | Quebec | ||
| Region | Outaouais | ||
| Incorporation | January 16, 1886 | ||
| Government | |||
| - Type | City | ||
| - Mayor | Maurice Boivin | ||
| Area | |||
| - Total | 6.77 km2 (2.6 sq mi) | ||
| - Land | 6.27 km2 (2.4 sq mi) | ||
| Population (2006) | |||
| - Total | 2,299 | ||
| - Density | 366.9/km2 (950.3/sq mi) | ||
| Time zone | EST (UTC-5) | ||
| - Summer (DST) | EDT (UTC-4) | ||
| Postal Code | J0X 3B0 | ||
| Area code(s) | 819 | ||
| Access Routes |  Route 148 Route 317 |
||
| Website | ville.thurso.qc.ca | ||
Thurso is a city in the 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 2006 census population was 2,299.
Contents |
Demographics
Population:
- Population in 2006: 2299
- Population in 2001: 2446
- 2001 to 2006 population change: -6.0 %
- Population in 1996: 2498
- Population in 1991: 2507
Total private dwellings (excluding seasonal cottages): 974
Languages:
- 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; however, the connection along Autoroute 50 to Montreal between Thurso and Grenville is still incomplete.
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. Fraser Papers 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, The Lafontaine, burned twice in 2009; once in February and again a month later, with the latter fire resulting in complete destruction. Plans are in place to reconstruct the historic landmark in the fall of 2009.
Earthquake
An earthquake with a magnitude of 4.5 was centered north in Thurso at 8:39 pm, on February 24, 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
- ^ Total area: Ministère des Affaires Municipales et Régions
Land area: Statistics Canada 2006 Census - ^ Statistics Canada 2006 Census
- ^ "Community highlights for Thurso". Statistics Canada. http://www12.statcan.ca/english/census06/data/profiles/community/Details/Page.cfm?B1=All&Code1=2480050&Code2=24&Custom=&Data=Count&Geo1=CSD&Geo2=PR&Lang=E&SearchPR=01&SearchText=Thurso&SearchType=Begins.
- ^ Statistics Canada: 1996, 2001, 2006 census
 |
Lochaber | |
||
| Lochaber-Partie-Ouest |  |
Lochaber | ||
 Thurso  |
||||
 |
||||
| Ottawa River / Clarence-Rockland, Ontario |
|
||||||||||||||
Coordinates: 45°35′N 75°14′W / 45.583°N 75.233°W