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Employee Benefit Plans (Narrative) (Detail) (USD $)
In Thousands, unless otherwise specified
12 Months Ended
Dec. 31, 2014
Dec. 31, 2013
Dec. 31, 2012
Employee Benefit Plan [Line Items]      
Maximum percentage of contribution 5.00%wcn_MultiemployerPlanMaximumAnnualContributionPercentage    
Deferred Compensation Plan [Member]      
Employee Benefit Plan [Line Items]      
Percentage of employee's eligible compensation that represents the maximum amount of employer matching contribution to plan 6.00%wcn_PercentageOfEmployeeSEligibleCompensationThatRepresentsMaximumAmountOfEmployerMatchingContributionToPlan
/ wcn_DefinedBenefitPlanContributionsAxis
= wcn_DeferredCompensationPlanMember
5.00%wcn_PercentageOfEmployeeSEligibleCompensationThatRepresentsMaximumAmountOfEmployerMatchingContributionToPlan
/ wcn_DefinedBenefitPlanContributionsAxis
= wcn_DeferredCompensationPlanMember
5.00%wcn_PercentageOfEmployeeSEligibleCompensationThatRepresentsMaximumAmountOfEmployerMatchingContributionToPlan
/ wcn_DefinedBenefitPlanContributionsAxis
= wcn_DeferredCompensationPlanMember
Percentage of salary that may voluntarily be elected to be deferred 80.00%wcn_PercentageOfSalaryThatMayVoluntarilyBeElectedToBeDeferred
/ wcn_DefinedBenefitPlanContributionsAxis
= wcn_DeferredCompensationPlanMember
   
Percentage of bonuses, commissions and restricted stock unit grants that may voluntarily be elected to be deferred 100.00%wcn_PercentageOfBonusesCommissionsAndRestrictedStockUnitGrantsThatMayVoluntarilyBeElectedToBeDeferred
/ wcn_DefinedBenefitPlanContributionsAxis
= wcn_DeferredCompensationPlanMember
   
Percentage of every dollar of a participating employee's pre-tax contributions as matching contribution to the deferred compensation plan 50.00%wcn_PercentageOfEveryDollarOfParticipatingEmployeesPreTaxContributionsAsMatchingContributionToDeferredCompensationPlan
/ wcn_DefinedBenefitPlanContributionsAxis
= wcn_DeferredCompensationPlanMember
50.00%wcn_PercentageOfEveryDollarOfParticipatingEmployeesPreTaxContributionsAsMatchingContributionToDeferredCompensationPlan
/ wcn_DefinedBenefitPlanContributionsAxis
= wcn_DeferredCompensationPlanMember
50.00%wcn_PercentageOfEveryDollarOfParticipatingEmployeesPreTaxContributionsAsMatchingContributionToDeferredCompensationPlan
/ wcn_DefinedBenefitPlanContributionsAxis
= wcn_DeferredCompensationPlanMember
Employer's matching contribution percentage that vests annually 100.00%us-gaap_DefinedContributionPlanEmployersMatchingContributionAnnualVestingPercentage
/ wcn_DefinedBenefitPlanContributionsAxis
= wcn_DeferredCompensationPlanMember
100.00%us-gaap_DefinedContributionPlanEmployersMatchingContributionAnnualVestingPercentage
/ wcn_DefinedBenefitPlanContributionsAxis
= wcn_DeferredCompensationPlanMember
100.00%us-gaap_DefinedContributionPlanEmployersMatchingContributionAnnualVestingPercentage
/ wcn_DefinedBenefitPlanContributionsAxis
= wcn_DeferredCompensationPlanMember
Total liability for deferred compensation $ 18,614us-gaap_DeferredCompensationLiabilityClassifiedNoncurrent
/ wcn_DefinedBenefitPlanContributionsAxis
= wcn_DeferredCompensationPlanMember
$ 15,335us-gaap_DeferredCompensationLiabilityClassifiedNoncurrent
/ wcn_DefinedBenefitPlanContributionsAxis
= wcn_DeferredCompensationPlanMember
 
Voluntary Savings And Investment Plan [Member]      
Employee Benefit Plan [Line Items]      
Total employer expenses, including employer matching contributions $ 4,765us-gaap_PensionAndOtherPostretirementBenefitExpense
/ us-gaap_DefinedBenefitPlansDisclosuresDefinedBenefitPlansAxis
= wcn_VoluntarySavingsAndInvestmentPlanMember
$ 4,024us-gaap_PensionAndOtherPostretirementBenefitExpense
/ us-gaap_DefinedBenefitPlansDisclosuresDefinedBenefitPlansAxis
= wcn_VoluntarySavingsAndInvestmentPlanMember
3,304us-gaap_PensionAndOtherPostretirementBenefitExpense
/ us-gaap_DefinedBenefitPlansDisclosuresDefinedBenefitPlansAxis
= wcn_VoluntarySavingsAndInvestmentPlanMember
Minimum [Member]      
Employee Benefit Plan [Line Items]      
Percentage of every dollar of a participating employee's pre-tax contributions as matching contribution to 401(k) Plan 50.00%wcn_PercentageOfEveryDollarOfParticipatingEmployeesPreTaxContributions
/ us-gaap_RangeAxis
= us-gaap_MinimumMember
   
Percentage of employee's eligible compensation that represents the maximum amount of employer matching contribution to plan 3.00%wcn_PercentageOfEmployeeSEligibleCompensationThatRepresentsMaximumAmountOfEmployerMatchingContributionToPlan
/ us-gaap_RangeAxis
= us-gaap_MinimumMember
   
Maximum [Member]      
Employee Benefit Plan [Line Items]      
Percentage of every dollar of a participating employee's pre-tax contributions as matching contribution to 401(k) Plan 100.00%wcn_PercentageOfEveryDollarOfParticipatingEmployeesPreTaxContributions
/ us-gaap_RangeAxis
= us-gaap_MaximumMember
   
Percentage of employee's eligible compensation that represents the maximum amount of employer matching contribution to plan 6.00%wcn_PercentageOfEmployeeSEligibleCompensationThatRepresentsMaximumAmountOfEmployerMatchingContributionToPlan
/ us-gaap_RangeAxis
= us-gaap_MaximumMember