Share Capital - Narrative (Details) (USD $)	12 Months Ended			1 Months Ended
	Dec. 31, 2014 vote	Dec. 31, 2013	Dec. 31, 2012	May 31, 2013	Apr. 30, 2013	Jun. 27, 2012	Jun. 26, 2012
Common Stock, Number of Shares, Par Value and Other Disclosures [Abstract]
Authorized share capital (in shares)	595,000,002
Common stock, shares authorized	570,000,000
Common shares, par value (in dollars per share)	$ 0.001	$ 0.001
Preferred stock, shares authorized	25,000,000
Preferred stock, par value (in dollars per share)	$ 0.001
Special voting stock-authorized (in shares)	2
Special voting stock-par value (in dollars per share)	$ 0.001
Common shares, issued	276,072,351	272,327,810
Stock issued during period upon exercise of stock options (in shares)	3,029,853	1,306,317	482,841
Votes per common stock	1
Common voting shares per exchangeable share (in shares)	1
Number of shares available for issuance under 2007 Equity Incentive Plan						39,806,100	23,306,100
Stock option exercises in period (in shares)	(3,029,853)
Cash received from exercise of stock options	$ 11,100,000
Weighted average contractual term of of outstanding stock options	5 years 1 month 6 days
Weighted average contractual term of exercisable options	5 years 3 months 18 days
Weighted average grant date fair value for options vested (in dollars per share)	$ 3.63	$ 3.94	$ 3.90
Stock Options [Abstract]
Stock-based compensation costs expensed	7,720,000	8,918,000	12,006,000
Unvested stock options recognition period	2 years 3 months 18 days
Warrants [Abstract]
Fair value of warrants	12,400,000	12,400,000	10,200,000
Intrinsic value of options outstanding	3,600,000	32,900,000	17,800,000
Closing share price ($/share)	$ 3.85	$ 7.31	$ 5.51
Intrinsic value of options exercisable at period end	3,600,000	27,400,000	17,600,000
Intrinsic value of options exercised during period at period end	10,300,000	3,300,000	1,400,000
Intrinsic value of options outstanding, vested and expected to vest	3,600,000
Weighted average remaining contractual term	5 years 1 month 6 days
Number of securities purchasable by warrants (in shares)			3,149,115
Common shares issued-exercise of warrants (in shares)		2,766,834
Common shares issued-exercise of warrants, cashless exercise (in shares)		26,190
Common shares issued-exercise of warrants, shares withheld for cashless exchange (in shares)		7,143
Warrants exercised, cashless exchange (in shares)		66,666
Warrant expired unexercised (in shares)		680,896
Stock Options [Member]
Common Stock, Number of Shares, Par Value and Other Disclosures [Abstract]
Vesting period	3 years
Option term				5 years	10 years
Option term after leaving service of company				3 months	3 months
Weighted Average Grant Date Fair Value $/Option, Granted in Period	$ 2.47	$ 2.62	$ 3.33
Stock Options [Abstract]
Unrecognized compensation cost related to unvested stock options	4,800,000	8,100,000
Earnings Per Share [Abstract]
Options excluded from the diluted income per share calculation	15,621,890	4,217,082	9,748,874
Stock Options [Member] | General and Administrative Expense [Member]
Stock Options [Abstract]
Stock-based compensation costs expensed	6,100,000	7,500,000	10,200,000
Stock Options [Member] | Operating Expense [Member]
Stock Options [Abstract]
Stock-based compensation costs expensed	300,000	500,000	800,000
Stock Options [Member] | Discontinued Operations [Member]
Stock Options [Abstract]
Stock-based compensation costs expensed	1,300,000	900,000	1,000,000
Restricted Stock Units (RSUs) [Member]
Common Stock, Number of Shares, Par Value and Other Disclosures [Abstract]
Cash used to settle awards	$ 3,400,000	$ 0	$ 0
Expired (in shares)	0
Warrant [Member]
Warrants [Abstract]
Warrant outstanding (shares)			6,298,230
Warrant exercise price (dollars per share)			1.05
Warrants expiration date range start			Jun. 20, 2012
Warrants expiration date range end			Jun. 30, 2012
Warrants exercised (in shares)		5,550,668
Gran Tierra Exchangeco Inc [Member]
Common Stock, Number of Shares, Par Value and Other Disclosures [Abstract]
Exchangeable shares outstanding (in shares)	5,595,118
Exchange shares issued during period	9,500
Gran Tierra Goldstrike Inc [Member]
Common Stock, Number of Shares, Par Value and Other Disclosures [Abstract]
Exchangeable shares outstanding (in shares)	4,524,627
Exchange shares issued during period	747,427
Solana [Member]
Common Stock, Number of Shares, Par Value and Other Disclosures [Abstract]
Expired (in shares)	(42,239)
Solana [Member] | Gran Tierra Exchangeco Inc [Member]
Common Stock, Number of Shares, Par Value and Other Disclosures [Abstract]
Expired (in shares)	(5,768)