Consolidated Statements of Net Income - USD ($) $ in Thousands	12 Months Ended
	Dec. 31, 2020	Dec. 31, 2019	Dec. 31, 2018
Income Statement [Abstract]
Revenues	$ 5,445,990	$ 5,388,679	$ 4,922,941
Operating expenses:
Cost of operations	3,276,808	3,198,757	2,865,704
Selling, general and administrative	537,632	546,278	524,388
Depreciation	621,102	618,396	572,708
Amortization of intangibles	131,302	125,522	107,779
Impairments and other operating items	466,718	61,948	20,118
Operating income	412,428	837,778	832,244
Interest expense	(162,375)	(147,368)	(132,104)
Interest income	5,253	9,777	7,170
Other income (expense), net	(1,392)	5,704	(170)
Income before income tax provision	253,914	705,891	707,140
Income tax provision	(49,922)	(139,210)	(159,986)
Net income	203,992	566,681	547,154
Plus (Less): Net loss (income) attributable to noncontrolling interests	685	160	(283)
Net income attributable to Waste Connections	$ 204,677	$ 566,841	$ 546,871
Earnings per common share attributable to Waste Connections' common shareholders:
Basic	$ 0.78	$ 2.15	$ 2.07
Diluted	$ 0.78	$ 2.14	$ 2.07
Shares used in the per share calculations:
Basic	263,189,699	263,792,693	263,650,155
Diluted	263,687,539	264,526,561	264,395,618
Cash dividends per common share	$ 0.760	$ 0.665	$ 0.580