Condensed Consolidated Statements of Equity - USD ($)	Deferred Compensation Plan [Member] Common Stock [Member]	Performance Shares [Member] Common Stock [Member]	Common Stock [Member]	Additional Paid-In Capital [Member]	Accumulated Other Comprehensive Income (Loss) [Member]	Treasury Stock [Member]	Retained Earnings [Member]	Noncontrolling Interests [Member]	Total
Beginning Balances at Dec. 31, 2013			$ 1,236,000	$ 796,085,000	$ (1,869,000)		$ 1,247,630,000	$ 5,125,000	$ 2,048,207,000
Beginning Balances, shares at Dec. 31, 2013			123,566,487
Vesting of restricted share units (shares)	10,665		492,695
Vesting of restricted share units			$ 5,000	(5,000)
Tax withholdings related to net share settlements of restricted share units			$ (1,000)	(6,813,000)					(6,814,000)
Tax withholdings related to net share settlements of restricted share units, shares			(159,936)
Equity-based compensation				18,446,000					18,446,000
Exercise of stock options and warrants			$ 2,000	3,373,000					3,375,000
Exercise of stock options and warrants, shares			241,716
Excess tax benefit associated with equity-based compensation				7,518,000					7,518,000
Repurchase of common shares			$ (2,000)	(7,315,000)					$ (7,317,000)
Repurchase of common shares, shares			(167,100)						(167,100)
Cash dividends on common shares							(58,906,000)		$ (58,906,000)
Amounts reclassified into earnings, net of taxes					2,317,000				2,317,000
Changes in fair value of cash flow hedges, net of taxes					(6,041,000)				(6,041,000)
Distributions to noncontrolling interests								(371,000)	(371,000)
Net income (loss)							232,525,000	802,000	233,327,000
Ending Balances at Dec. 31, 2014			$ 1,240,000	811,289,000	(5,593,000)		1,421,249,000	5,556,000	2,233,741,000
Ending Balances, Shares at Dec. 31, 2014			123,984,527
Vesting of restricted share units (shares)	14,082		432,165
Vesting of restricted share units			$ 4,000	(4,000)
Tax withholdings related to net share settlements of restricted share units			$ (1,000)	(6,446,000)					(6,447,000)
Tax withholdings related to net share settlements of restricted share units, shares			(138,611)
Equity-based compensation				20,318,000					20,318,000
Exercise of stock options and warrants			$ 1,000	571,000					572,000
Exercise of stock options and warrants, shares			46,781
Excess tax benefit associated with equity-based compensation				2,069,000					2,069,000
Repurchase of common shares			$ (20,000)	(91,145,000)					$ (91,165,000)
Repurchase of common shares, shares			(1,962,989)						(1,962,989)
Cash dividends on common shares							(65,990,000)		$ (65,990,000)
Amounts reclassified into earnings, net of taxes					5,148,000				5,148,000
Changes in fair value of cash flow hedges, net of taxes					(11,726,000)				(11,726,000)
Distributions to noncontrolling interests								(42,000)	(42,000)
Net income (loss)							(95,764,000)	1,070,000	(94,694,000)
Ending Balances at Dec. 31, 2015			$ 1,224,000	736,652,000	(12,171,000)		1,259,495,000	6,584,000	$ 1,991,784,000
Ending Balances, Shares at Dec. 31, 2015			122,375,955						122,375,955
Conversion of Old Waste Connections' shares of common stock into common shares of New Waste Connections, APIC				(650,552,000)
Conversion of Old Waste Connections' shares of common stock into common shares of New Waste Connections			$ 650,552,000
Issuance of common shares to acquire Progressive Waste			$ 3,503,162,000						$ 3,503,162,000
Issuance of common shares to acquire Progressive Waste, shares			52,145,919
Sale of common shares held in trust			$ 19,870,000			$ (265,183)			19,870,000
Sale of common shares held in trust, shares			265,183
Vesting of restricted share units (shares)	39,757	122,960	403,812
Tax withholdings related to net share settlements of restricted share units				(11,497,000)					(11,497,000)
Tax withholdings related to net share settlements of restricted share units, shares			(186,515)
Equity-based compensation				22,421,000					22,421,000
Exercise of warrants, shares			34,824
Excess tax benefit associated with equity-based compensation				5,196,000					5,196,000
Cash dividends on common shares							(92,547,000)		(92,547,000)
Amounts reclassified into earnings, net of taxes					8,546,000				8,546,000
Changes in fair value of cash flow hedges, net of taxes					11,555,000				11,555,000
Foreign currency translation adjustment					(50,931,000)				(50,931,000)
Distributions to noncontrolling interests								(3,000)	(3,000)
Net income (loss)							246,540,000	781,000	247,321,000
Ending Balances at Dec. 31, 2016			$ 4,174,808,000	$ 102,220,000	$ (43,001,000)		$ 1,413,488,000	$ 7,362,000	$ 5,654,877,000
Ending Balances, Shares at Dec. 31, 2016			175,201,895						175,201,895
Ending Balance, treasury shares at Dec. 31, 2016						224,929
Acquired common shares held in trust						490,112