Condensed Consolidated Statements of Net Income - USD ($) $ in Thousands	3 Months Ended		9 Months Ended
	Sep. 30, 2020	Sep. 30, 2019	Sep. 30, 2020	Sep. 30, 2019
Income Statement [Abstract]
Revenues	$ 1,389,552	$ 1,412,444	$ 4,047,739	$ 4,026,719
Operating expenses:
Cost of operations	828,822	835,098	2,429,957	2,384,607
Selling, general and administrative	136,003	137,883	404,213	410,132
Depreciation	157,590	157,994	459,641	461,616
Amortization of intangibles	32,653	31,934	96,062	93,821
Impairments and other operating items	3,805	12,935	442,582	32,949
Operating income	230,679	236,600	215,284	643,594
Interest expense	(40,636)	(36,780)	(119,562)	(111,313)
Interest income	903	2,056	4,396	7,186
Other income (expense), net	702	(19)	(3,046)	4,562
Income before income tax provision	191,648	201,857	97,072	544,029
Income tax provision	(33,657)	(42,783)	(23,654)	(110,539)
Net income	157,991	159,074	73,418	433,490
Plus (less): Net loss (income) attributable to noncontrolling interests	58	35	594	89
Net income attributable to Waste Connections	$ 158,049	$ 159,109	$ 74,012	$ 433,579
Earnings per common share attributable to Waste Connections' common shareholders:
Basic	$ 0.60	$ 0.60	$ 0.28	$ 1.64
Diluted	$ 0.60	$ 0.60	$ 0.28	$ 1.64
Shares used in the per share calculations:
Basic	262,998,317	263,853,681	263,253,087	263,768,258
Diluted	263,507,486	264,587,456	263,718,001	264,473,345
Cash dividends per common share	$ 0.185	$ 0.160	$ 0.555	$ 0.480