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.DemographicsPopulation trend:  Population in 2011: 2455  Population in 2006: 2299 Population in 2001: 2446 2001 to 2006 population change: -6.0 % Population in 1991: 2507 Private dwellings : 1042Languages:  English as first language: 3% French as first language: 96% English and French as first language: 1%TransportationThurso'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.IndustryThurso 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.