Condensed Consolidated Statements of Net Income - USD ($) $ in Thousands	3 Months Ended		6 Months Ended
	Jun. 30, 2020	Jun. 30, 2019	Jun. 30, 2020	Jun. 30, 2019
Income Statement [Abstract]
Revenues	$ 1,305,782	$ 1,369,639	$ 2,658,187	$ 2,614,275
Operating expenses:
Cost of operations	785,710	815,819	1,601,134	1,549,508
Selling, general and administrative	132,158	139,664	268,210	272,249
Depreciation	151,230	156,776	302,051	303,623
Amortization of intangibles	31,771	31,344	63,409	61,886
Impairments and other operating items	437,270	3,902	438,777	20,014
Operating income	(232,357)	222,134	(15,394)	406,995
Interest expense	(40,936)	(37,245)	(78,926)	(74,533)
Interest income	1,317	1,818	3,493	5,129
Other income (expense), net	5,772	1,920	(3,749)	4,581
Income before income tax provision	(266,204)	188,627	(94,576)	342,172
Income tax provision	38,737	(39,788)	10,003	(67,756)
Net income	(227,467)	148,839	(84,573)	274,416
Plus (less): Net loss (income) attributable to noncontrolling interests	395	9	536	54
Net income attributable to Waste Connections	$ (227,072)	$ 148,848	$ (84,037)	$ 274,470
Earnings per common share attributable to Waste Connections' common shareholders:
Basic	$ (0.86)	$ 0.56	$ (0.32)	$ 1.04
Diluted	$ (0.86)	$ 0.56	$ (0.32)	$ 1.04
Shares used in the per share calculations:
Basic	262,994,275	263,846,970	263,390,685	263,725,867
Diluted	262,994,275	264,494,943	263,390,685	264,416,610
Cash dividends per common share	$ 0.185	$ 0.160	$ 0.370	$ 0.320