Senior Debentures and Innovative Capital Instruments - Narrative (Details) - CAD ($) $ in Millions	12 Months Ended
Dec. 31, 2022	Dec. 31, 2021
Senior Debentures
Disclosure of detailed information about borrowings [line items]
Interest expense on subordinated debt	$ 14	$ 23
Sun Life ExchangEable Capital Securities \| Non-Cumulative Perpetual Preferred Shares
Disclosure of detailed information about borrowings [line items]
Borrowings, convertible, number of equity instruments (in shares)	40

The amount of interest expense on debt instruments issued. [Refer: Interest expense; Debt instruments issued]

Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2009/role/commonPracticeRef
-Name IAS
-Number 1
-IssueDate 2022-03-24
-Paragraph 112
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-URIDate 2022-03-24

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Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	debit
Period Type:	duration