Condensed Consolidated Statements of Net Income (Loss) - USD ($) $ in Thousands	12 Months Ended
	Dec. 31, 2015	Dec. 31, 2014	Dec. 31, 2013
Income Statement [Abstract]
Revenues	$ 2,117,287	$ 2,079,166	$ 1,928,795
Operating expenses:
Cost of operations	1,177,409	1,138,388	1,064,819
Selling, general and administrative	237,484	229,474	212,637
Depreciation	240,357	230,944	218,454
Amortization of intangibles	29,077	27,000	25,410
Loss on prior office leases			9,902
Impairments and other operating items	494,492	4,091	4,129
Operating income (loss)	(61,532)	449,269	393,444
Interest expense	(64,236)	(64,674)	(73,579)
Other income (expense), net	(518)	1,067	1,056
Income (loss) before income tax provision	(126,286)	385,662	320,921
Income tax (provision) benefit	31,592	(152,335)	(124,916)
Net income (loss)	(94,694)	233,327	196,005
Less: Net income attributable to noncontrolling interests	(1,070)	(802)	(350)
Net income (loss) attributable to Waste Connections	$ (95,764)	$ 232,525	$ 195,655
Earnings (loss) per common share attributable to Waste Connections' common stockholders:
Basic	$ (0.78)	$ 1.87	$ 1.58
Diluted	$ (0.78)	$ 1.86	$ 1.58
Shares used in the per share calculations:
Basic	123,491,931	124,215,346	123,597,540
Diluted	123,491,931	124,787,421	124,165,052
Cash dividends per common share	$ 0.535	$ 0.475	$ 0.415