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Long-Term Debt (Narrative) (Detail) (USD $)
 3 Months Ended 0 Months Ended
Mar. 31, 2015
Feb. 20, 2015
Dec. 31, 2014
Feb. 19, 2015
Debt Instrument [Line Items]        
Long term debt $ 1,998,030,000us-gaap_LongTermDebt   $ 1,979,565,000us-gaap_LongTermDebt  
Debt issuance costs 3,032,000us-gaap_PaymentsOfDebtIssuanceCosts      
Credit Agreement [Member]        
Debt Instrument [Line Items]        
Credit facility 1,200,000,000us-gaap_LineOfCreditFacilityMaximumBorrowingCapacity
/ us-gaap_DebtInstrumentAxis
= wcn_CreditAgreementMember		      
Maturity date Jan. 24, 2020      
Master Note Purchase Agreement [Member]        
Debt Instrument [Line Items]        
Maximum limit of aggregate principal amount of notes outstanding   300,000,000wcn_MaximumLimitOfAggregatePrincipalAmountOfNotesOutstanding
/ us-gaap_DebtInstrumentAxis
= wcn_MasterNotePurchaseAgreementMember		   200,000,000wcn_MaximumLimitOfAggregatePrincipalAmountOfNotesOutstanding
/ us-gaap_DebtInstrumentAxis
= wcn_MasterNotePurchaseAgreementMember
Maximum limit of aggregate amount of permitted investments in other lines of business   100,000,000wcn_MaximumLimitOfAggregateAmountOfPermittedInvestmentsInOtherLinesOfBusiness
/ us-gaap_DebtInstrumentAxis
= wcn_MasterNotePurchaseAgreementMember		   50,000,000wcn_MaximumLimitOfAggregateAmountOfPermittedInvestmentsInOtherLinesOfBusiness
/ us-gaap_DebtInstrumentAxis
= wcn_MasterNotePurchaseAgreementMember
Minimum [Member] | Credit Agreement [Member]        
Debt Instrument [Line Items]        
Required interest coverage ratio 2.75wcn_RequiredMinimumInterestCoverageRatio
/ us-gaap_DebtInstrumentAxis
= wcn_CreditAgreementMember
/ us-gaap_RangeAxis
= us-gaap_MinimumMember		      
Minimum [Member] | Credit Agreement [Member] | Base Rate [Member] | Swing Line Loans [Member]        
Debt Instrument [Line Items]        
Margin rate for loans 0.00%us-gaap_DebtInstrumentBasisSpreadOnVariableRate1
/ us-gaap_CreditFacilityAxis
= wcn_SwingLineLoansMember
/ us-gaap_DebtInstrumentAxis
= wcn_CreditAgreementMember
/ us-gaap_RangeAxis
= us-gaap_MinimumMember
/ us-gaap_VariableRateAxis
= us-gaap_BaseRateMember		      
Minimum [Member] | Credit Agreement [Member] | LIBOR [Member] | Letter of Credit [Member]        
Debt Instrument [Line Items]        
Margin rate for loans 1.00%us-gaap_DebtInstrumentBasisSpreadOnVariableRate1
/ us-gaap_CreditFacilityAxis
= us-gaap_LetterOfCreditMember
/ us-gaap_DebtInstrumentAxis
= wcn_CreditAgreementMember
/ us-gaap_RangeAxis
= us-gaap_MinimumMember
/ us-gaap_VariableRateAxis
= us-gaap_LondonInterbankOfferedRateLIBORMember		      
Maximum [Member] | Credit Agreement [Member]        
Debt Instrument [Line Items]        
Reguired leverage ratio during material acquisition period 3.75wcn_ReguiredLeverageRatioDuringMaterialAcquisitionPeriod
/ us-gaap_DebtInstrumentAxis
= wcn_CreditAgreementMember
/ us-gaap_RangeAxis
= us-gaap_MaximumMember		      
Required leverage ratio 3.50wcn_RequiredLeverageRatio
/ us-gaap_DebtInstrumentAxis
= wcn_CreditAgreementMember
/ us-gaap_RangeAxis
= us-gaap_MaximumMember		      
Revolving credit term loan maximum borrowing capacity 2,300,000,000wcn_RevolvingCreditTermLoanMaximumBorrowingCapacity
/ us-gaap_DebtInstrumentAxis
= wcn_CreditAgreementMember
/ us-gaap_RangeAxis
= us-gaap_MaximumMember		      
Maximum [Member] | Credit Agreement [Member] | Letter of Credit [Member]        
Debt Instrument [Line Items]        
Revolving credit term loan maximum borrowing capacity 250,000,000wcn_RevolvingCreditTermLoanMaximumBorrowingCapacity
/ us-gaap_CreditFacilityAxis
= us-gaap_LetterOfCreditMember
/ us-gaap_DebtInstrumentAxis
= wcn_CreditAgreementMember
/ us-gaap_RangeAxis
= us-gaap_MaximumMember		      
Maximum [Member] | Credit Agreement [Member] | Swing Line Loans [Member]        
Debt Instrument [Line Items]        
Revolving credit term loan maximum borrowing capacity 35,000,000wcn_RevolvingCreditTermLoanMaximumBorrowingCapacity
/ us-gaap_CreditFacilityAxis
= wcn_SwingLineLoansMember
/ us-gaap_DebtInstrumentAxis
= wcn_CreditAgreementMember
/ us-gaap_RangeAxis
= us-gaap_MaximumMember		      
Maximum [Member] | Credit Agreement [Member] | Base Rate [Member] | Swing Line Loans [Member]        
Debt Instrument [Line Items]        
Margin rate for loans 0.50%us-gaap_DebtInstrumentBasisSpreadOnVariableRate1
/ us-gaap_CreditFacilityAxis
= wcn_SwingLineLoansMember
/ us-gaap_DebtInstrumentAxis
= wcn_CreditAgreementMember
/ us-gaap_RangeAxis
= us-gaap_MaximumMember
/ us-gaap_VariableRateAxis
= us-gaap_BaseRateMember		      
Maximum [Member] | Credit Agreement [Member] | LIBOR [Member] | Letter of Credit [Member]        
Debt Instrument [Line Items]        
Margin rate for loans 1.50%us-gaap_DebtInstrumentBasisSpreadOnVariableRate1
/ us-gaap_CreditFacilityAxis
= us-gaap_LetterOfCreditMember
/ us-gaap_DebtInstrumentAxis
= wcn_CreditAgreementMember
/ us-gaap_RangeAxis
= us-gaap_MaximumMember
/ us-gaap_VariableRateAxis
= us-gaap_LondonInterbankOfferedRateLIBORMember		      
Maximum [Member] | Master Note Purchase Agreement [Member]        
Debt Instrument [Line Items]        
Required leverage ratio   3.0wcn_RequiredLeverageRatio
/ us-gaap_DebtInstrumentAxis
= wcn_MasterNotePurchaseAgreementMember
/ us-gaap_RangeAxis
= us-gaap_MaximumMember		    
Revolver Under Prior Credit Agreement [Member]        
Debt Instrument [Line Items]        
Long term debt     680,000,000us-gaap_LongTermDebt
/ us-gaap_LongtermDebtTypeAxis
= wcn_RevolverUnderPriorCreditAgreementMember		  
Maturity date May 04, 2018      
Term Loan Facility [Member]        
Debt Instrument [Line Items]        
Long term debt     660,000,000us-gaap_LongTermDebt
/ us-gaap_LongtermDebtTypeAxis
= wcn_TermLoanFacilityMember		  
Maturity date Oct. 25, 2017      
Term Loan Facility [Member] | Credit Agreement [Member]        
Debt Instrument [Line Items]        
Long term debt 800,000,000us-gaap_LongTermDebt
/ us-gaap_DebtInstrumentAxis
= wcn_CreditAgreementMember
/ us-gaap_LongtermDebtTypeAxis
= wcn_TermLoanFacilityMember		 [1]      
Debt principal amount 800,000,000us-gaap_DebtInstrumentFaceAmount
/ us-gaap_DebtInstrumentAxis
= wcn_CreditAgreementMember
/ us-gaap_LongtermDebtTypeAxis
= wcn_TermLoanFacilityMember		      
Aggregate principal amount 800,000,000us-gaap_DebtInstrumentFaceAmount
/ us-gaap_DebtInstrumentAxis
= wcn_CreditAgreementMember
/ us-gaap_LongtermDebtTypeAxis
= wcn_TermLoanFacilityMember		      
Senior Notes due 2015 [Member]        
Debt Instrument [Line Items]        
Long term debt 175,000,000us-gaap_LongTermDebt
/ us-gaap_LongtermDebtTypeAxis
= wcn_NotesTwoThousandFifteenMember		   175,000,000us-gaap_LongTermDebt
/ us-gaap_LongtermDebtTypeAxis
= wcn_NotesTwoThousandFifteenMember		  
Interest rate 6.22%us-gaap_DebtInstrumentInterestRateStatedPercentage
/ us-gaap_LongtermDebtTypeAxis
= wcn_NotesTwoThousandFifteenMember		   6.22%us-gaap_DebtInstrumentInterestRateStatedPercentage
/ us-gaap_LongtermDebtTypeAxis
= wcn_NotesTwoThousandFifteenMember		  
Senior Notes due 2019 [Member]        
Debt Instrument [Line Items]        
Long term debt 175,000,000us-gaap_LongTermDebt
/ us-gaap_LongtermDebtTypeAxis
= wcn_NotesTwoThousandNineteenMember		   175,000,000us-gaap_LongTermDebt
/ us-gaap_LongtermDebtTypeAxis
= wcn_NotesTwoThousandNineteenMember		  
Interest rate 5.25%us-gaap_DebtInstrumentInterestRateStatedPercentage
/ us-gaap_LongtermDebtTypeAxis
= wcn_NotesTwoThousandNineteenMember		   5.25%us-gaap_DebtInstrumentInterestRateStatedPercentage
/ us-gaap_LongtermDebtTypeAxis
= wcn_NotesTwoThousandNineteenMember		  
Senior Notes due 2016 [Member]        
Debt Instrument [Line Items]        
Long term debt 100,000,000us-gaap_LongTermDebt
/ us-gaap_LongtermDebtTypeAxis
= wcn_NotesTwoThousandSixteenMember		   100,000,000us-gaap_LongTermDebt
/ us-gaap_LongtermDebtTypeAxis
= wcn_NotesTwoThousandSixteenMember		  
Interest rate 3.30%us-gaap_DebtInstrumentInterestRateStatedPercentage
/ us-gaap_LongtermDebtTypeAxis
= wcn_NotesTwoThousandSixteenMember		   3.30%us-gaap_DebtInstrumentInterestRateStatedPercentage
/ us-gaap_LongtermDebtTypeAxis
= wcn_NotesTwoThousandSixteenMember		  
Senior Notes due 2018 [Member]        
Debt Instrument [Line Items]        
Long term debt 50,000,000us-gaap_LongTermDebt
/ us-gaap_LongtermDebtTypeAxis
= wcn_NotesTwoThousandEighteenMember		   50,000,000us-gaap_LongTermDebt
/ us-gaap_LongtermDebtTypeAxis
= wcn_NotesTwoThousandEighteenMember		  
Interest rate 4.00%us-gaap_DebtInstrumentInterestRateStatedPercentage
/ us-gaap_LongtermDebtTypeAxis
= wcn_NotesTwoThousandEighteenMember		   4.00%us-gaap_DebtInstrumentInterestRateStatedPercentage
/ us-gaap_LongtermDebtTypeAxis
= wcn_NotesTwoThousandEighteenMember		  
Senior Notes due 2021 [Member]        
Debt Instrument [Line Items]        
Long term debt 100,000,000us-gaap_LongTermDebt
/ us-gaap_LongtermDebtTypeAxis
= wcn_NotesTwoThousandTwentyOneMember		   100,000,000us-gaap_LongTermDebt
/ us-gaap_LongtermDebtTypeAxis
= wcn_NotesTwoThousandTwentyOneMember		  
Interest rate 4.64%us-gaap_DebtInstrumentInterestRateStatedPercentage
/ us-gaap_LongtermDebtTypeAxis
= wcn_NotesTwoThousandTwentyOneMember		   4.64%us-gaap_DebtInstrumentInterestRateStatedPercentage
/ us-gaap_LongtermDebtTypeAxis
= wcn_NotesTwoThousandTwentyOneMember		  
Tax-exempt Bonds [Member]        
Debt Instrument [Line Items]        
Long term debt $ 31,430,000us-gaap_LongTermDebt
/ us-gaap_LongtermDebtTypeAxis
= wcn_TaxExemptBondsMember		 [1]   $ 31,430,000us-gaap_LongTermDebt
/ us-gaap_LongtermDebtTypeAxis
= wcn_TaxExemptBondsMember		 [1]  
[1] Interest rates in the table above represent the range of interest rates incurred during the three month period ended March 31, 2015.