Contingently Redeemable Non-controlling Interest in Ritchie Bros. Financial Services	9 Months Ended
	Sep. 30, 2016
Contingently Redeemable Non-controlling Interest in Ritchie Bros. Financial Services [Abstract]
Contingently Redeemable Non-controlling Interest in Ritchie Bros. Financial Services	10. Contingently redeemable non-controlling interest in Ritchie Bros. Financial Services Until July 12, 2016, the Company held a 51% interest in Ritchie Bros. Financial Services (”RBFS”), an entity that provides loan origination services to enable the Company’s auction customers to obtain financing from third party lenders. As a result of the Company’s involvement with RBFS, the Company is exposed to risks related to the recovery of the net assets of RBFS as well as liquidity risks associated with the put option discussed below. Management determined that RBFS was a variable interest entity because the Company provided subordinated financial support to RBFS and because the Company’s voting interest was disproportionately low in relation to its economic interest in RBFS while substantially all the activities of RBFS involved or were conducted on behalf of the Company. Management also determined that the Company was the primary beneficiary of RBFS as the Company was part of a related party group that had the power to direct the activities that most significantly impacted RBFS’s economic performance, and although no individual member of that group had such power, the Company represented the member of the related party group that was most closely associated with RBFS. Until July 12, 2016, the Company and the non-controlling interest (“NCI”) holders each held options pursuant to which the Company could acquire, or be required to acquire, the NCI holders’ 49% interest in RBFS. These call and put options became exercisable on April 6, 2016, and the Company had the option to elect to pay the purchase price in either cash or shares of the Company, subject to the Company obtaining all relevant security exchange and regulatory consents and approvals. As a result of the existence of the put option, the NCI was accounted for as a contingently redeemable equity instrument (the “contingently redeemable NCI”). The NCI could be redeemed at a purchase price to be determined through an independent appraisal process conducted in accordance with the terms of the agreement, or at a negotiated price (the “redemption value”). For the comparative reporting period presented, management determined that redemption was probable and measured the carrying amount of the contingently redeemable NCI at its estimated December 31, 2015 redemption value of $24,785,000. The estimation of redemption value at that date required management to make significant judgments, estimates, and assumptions. On July 12, 2016 the Company completed its acquisition of the NCI. On that date, the Company acquired the NCI holders’ 49% interest in RBFS for total consideration of 57,900,000 Canadian dollars ($44,141,000). That purchase price consisted of cash consideration of 53,900,000 Canadian dollars ($41,092,000) and 4,000,000 Canadian dollars ($3,049,000) representing the acquisition date fair value of contingent consideration payable to the former shareholders of RBFS. The contingent payment is payable if RBFS achieves a specified annual revenue growth rate over a three-year post-acquisition period, and is calculated as a specified percentage of the accumulated earnings of RBFS after the three-year post-acquisition period. The maximum amount payable under the contingent payment arrangement is 10,000,000 Canadian dollars. The Company may pay an additional amount not exceeding 1,500,000 Canadian dollars over a three-year period based on the former NCI holders providing continued management services to RBFS.