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Intangible Assets, Net (Intangible Assets Exclusive of Goodwill) (Detail) (USD $)
In Thousands, unless otherwise specified
Mar. 31, 2015
Dec. 31, 2014
Finite-Lived and Indefinite-Lived Intangible Assets [Line Items]    
Finite-lived intangible assets, gross carrying amount $ 439,034us-gaap_FiniteLivedIntangibleAssetsGross $ 398,508us-gaap_FiniteLivedIntangibleAssetsGross
Intangible assets, exclusive of goodwill, gross 693,933wcn_IntangibleAssetsGrossExclusiveOfGoodwill 652,151wcn_IntangibleAssetsGrossExclusiveOfGoodwill
Finite-lived intangible assets, accumulated amortization (149,155)us-gaap_FiniteLivedIntangibleAssetsAccumulatedAmortization (142,156)us-gaap_FiniteLivedIntangibleAssetsAccumulatedAmortization
Finite-lived intangible assets, net carrying amount 289,879us-gaap_FiniteLivedIntangibleAssetsNet 256,352us-gaap_FiniteLivedIntangibleAssetsNet
Intangible assets, net, exclusive of goodwill 544,778us-gaap_IntangibleAssetsNetExcludingGoodwill 509,995us-gaap_IntangibleAssetsNetExcludingGoodwill
Indefinite-lived intangible assets, gross carrying amount 254,899wcn_IndefiniteLivedIntangibleAssetsGrossExcludingGoodwill 253,643wcn_IndefiniteLivedIntangibleAssetsGrossExcludingGoodwill
Indefinite-lived intangible assets 254,899us-gaap_IndefiniteLivedIntangibleAssetsExcludingGoodwill 253,643us-gaap_IndefiniteLivedIntangibleAssetsExcludingGoodwill
Solid Waste Collection and Transportation Permits [Member]    
Finite-Lived and Indefinite-Lived Intangible Assets [Line Items]    
Indefinite-lived intangible assets, gross carrying amount 152,761wcn_IndefiniteLivedIntangibleAssetsGrossExcludingGoodwill
/ us-gaap_StatementBusinessSegmentsAxis
= wcn_SolidWasteCollectionAndTransportationPermitsMember
151,505wcn_IndefiniteLivedIntangibleAssetsGrossExcludingGoodwill
/ us-gaap_StatementBusinessSegmentsAxis
= wcn_SolidWasteCollectionAndTransportationPermitsMember
Indefinite-lived intangible assets 152,761us-gaap_IndefiniteLivedIntangibleAssetsExcludingGoodwill
/ us-gaap_StatementBusinessSegmentsAxis
= wcn_SolidWasteCollectionAndTransportationPermitsMember
151,505us-gaap_IndefiniteLivedIntangibleAssetsExcludingGoodwill
/ us-gaap_StatementBusinessSegmentsAxis
= wcn_SolidWasteCollectionAndTransportationPermitsMember
Material Recycling Facility Permits [Member]    
Finite-Lived and Indefinite-Lived Intangible Assets [Line Items]    
Indefinite-lived intangible assets, gross carrying amount 42,283wcn_IndefiniteLivedIntangibleAssetsGrossExcludingGoodwill
/ us-gaap_StatementBusinessSegmentsAxis
= wcn_MaterialRecyclingFacilityPermitsMember
42,283wcn_IndefiniteLivedIntangibleAssetsGrossExcludingGoodwill
/ us-gaap_StatementBusinessSegmentsAxis
= wcn_MaterialRecyclingFacilityPermitsMember
Indefinite-lived intangible assets 42,283us-gaap_IndefiniteLivedIntangibleAssetsExcludingGoodwill
/ us-gaap_StatementBusinessSegmentsAxis
= wcn_MaterialRecyclingFacilityPermitsMember
42,283us-gaap_IndefiniteLivedIntangibleAssetsExcludingGoodwill
/ us-gaap_StatementBusinessSegmentsAxis
= wcn_MaterialRecyclingFacilityPermitsMember
Exploration and Production Facility Permits [Member]    
Finite-Lived and Indefinite-Lived Intangible Assets [Line Items]    
Indefinite-lived intangible assets, gross carrying amount 59,855wcn_IndefiniteLivedIntangibleAssetsGrossExcludingGoodwill
/ us-gaap_StatementBusinessSegmentsAxis
= wcn_ExplorationAndProductionFacilityPermitsMember
59,855wcn_IndefiniteLivedIntangibleAssetsGrossExcludingGoodwill
/ us-gaap_StatementBusinessSegmentsAxis
= wcn_ExplorationAndProductionFacilityPermitsMember
Indefinite-lived intangible assets 59,855us-gaap_IndefiniteLivedIntangibleAssetsExcludingGoodwill
/ us-gaap_StatementBusinessSegmentsAxis
= wcn_ExplorationAndProductionFacilityPermitsMember
59,855us-gaap_IndefiniteLivedIntangibleAssetsExcludingGoodwill
/ us-gaap_StatementBusinessSegmentsAxis
= wcn_ExplorationAndProductionFacilityPermitsMember
Long-term Franchise Agreements and Contracts [Member]    
Finite-Lived and Indefinite-Lived Intangible Assets [Line Items]    
Finite-lived intangible assets, gross carrying amount 197,096us-gaap_FiniteLivedIntangibleAssetsGross
/ us-gaap_FiniteLivedIntangibleAssetsByMajorClassAxis
= us-gaap_FranchiseRightsMember
195,676us-gaap_FiniteLivedIntangibleAssetsGross
/ us-gaap_FiniteLivedIntangibleAssetsByMajorClassAxis
= us-gaap_FranchiseRightsMember
Finite-lived intangible assets, accumulated amortization (54,447)us-gaap_FiniteLivedIntangibleAssetsAccumulatedAmortization
/ us-gaap_FiniteLivedIntangibleAssetsByMajorClassAxis
= us-gaap_FranchiseRightsMember
(52,448)us-gaap_FiniteLivedIntangibleAssetsAccumulatedAmortization
/ us-gaap_FiniteLivedIntangibleAssetsByMajorClassAxis
= us-gaap_FranchiseRightsMember
Finite-lived intangible assets, net carrying amount 142,649us-gaap_FiniteLivedIntangibleAssetsNet
/ us-gaap_FiniteLivedIntangibleAssetsByMajorClassAxis
= us-gaap_FranchiseRightsMember
143,228us-gaap_FiniteLivedIntangibleAssetsNet
/ us-gaap_FiniteLivedIntangibleAssetsByMajorClassAxis
= us-gaap_FranchiseRightsMember
Customer Lists [Member]    
Finite-Lived and Indefinite-Lived Intangible Assets [Line Items]    
Finite-lived intangible assets, gross carrying amount 163,498us-gaap_FiniteLivedIntangibleAssetsGross
/ us-gaap_FiniteLivedIntangibleAssetsByMajorClassAxis
= us-gaap_CustomerListsMember
161,463us-gaap_FiniteLivedIntangibleAssetsGross
/ us-gaap_FiniteLivedIntangibleAssetsByMajorClassAxis
= us-gaap_CustomerListsMember
Finite-lived intangible assets, accumulated amortization (82,650)us-gaap_FiniteLivedIntangibleAssetsAccumulatedAmortization
/ us-gaap_FiniteLivedIntangibleAssetsByMajorClassAxis
= us-gaap_CustomerListsMember
(77,931)us-gaap_FiniteLivedIntangibleAssetsAccumulatedAmortization
/ us-gaap_FiniteLivedIntangibleAssetsByMajorClassAxis
= us-gaap_CustomerListsMember
Finite-lived intangible assets, net carrying amount 80,848us-gaap_FiniteLivedIntangibleAssetsNet
/ us-gaap_FiniteLivedIntangibleAssetsByMajorClassAxis
= us-gaap_CustomerListsMember
83,532us-gaap_FiniteLivedIntangibleAssetsNet
/ us-gaap_FiniteLivedIntangibleAssetsByMajorClassAxis
= us-gaap_CustomerListsMember
Permits and Non-Competition Agreements [Member]    
Finite-Lived and Indefinite-Lived Intangible Assets [Line Items]    
Finite-lived intangible assets, gross carrying amount 78,440us-gaap_FiniteLivedIntangibleAssetsGross
/ us-gaap_FiniteLivedIntangibleAssetsByMajorClassAxis
= wcn_PermitsAndNonCompetitionAgreementsMember
41,369us-gaap_FiniteLivedIntangibleAssetsGross
/ us-gaap_FiniteLivedIntangibleAssetsByMajorClassAxis
= wcn_PermitsAndNonCompetitionAgreementsMember
Finite-lived intangible assets, accumulated amortization (12,058)us-gaap_FiniteLivedIntangibleAssetsAccumulatedAmortization
/ us-gaap_FiniteLivedIntangibleAssetsByMajorClassAxis
= wcn_PermitsAndNonCompetitionAgreementsMember
(11,777)us-gaap_FiniteLivedIntangibleAssetsAccumulatedAmortization
/ us-gaap_FiniteLivedIntangibleAssetsByMajorClassAxis
= wcn_PermitsAndNonCompetitionAgreementsMember
Finite-lived intangible assets, net carrying amount $ 66,382us-gaap_FiniteLivedIntangibleAssetsNet
/ us-gaap_FiniteLivedIntangibleAssetsByMajorClassAxis
= wcn_PermitsAndNonCompetitionAgreementsMember
$ 29,592us-gaap_FiniteLivedIntangibleAssetsNet
/ us-gaap_FiniteLivedIntangibleAssetsByMajorClassAxis
= wcn_PermitsAndNonCompetitionAgreementsMember