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The percentage of ownership of common stock or equity participation in the investee accounted for under the equity method of accounting.

No definition available.

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Represents the number of board members.

No definition available.

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Represents the number of board members designated by the acquired entity.

No definition available.

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Total number of common shares of an entity that have been sold or granted to shareholders (includes common shares that were issued, repurchased and remain in the treasury). These shares represent capital invested by the firm's shareholders and owners, and may be all or only a portion of the number of shares authorized. Shares issued include shares outstanding and shares held in the treasury.

Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef
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-Name Accounting Standards Codification
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The percentage of ownership of common stock or equity participation in the investee accounted for under the equity method of accounting.

Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 323
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This item represents the entity's proportionate share for the period of the net income (loss) of its investee (such as unconsolidated subsidiaries and joint ventures) to which the equity method of accounting is applied. This item includes income or expense related to stock-based compensation based on the investor's grant of stock to employees of an equity method investee.

Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef
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Reference 3: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef
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Reference 4: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef
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Reference 5: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef
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Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
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The parent entity's interest in net assets of the subsidiary, expressed as a percentage.

No definition available.

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Data Type:	num:percentItemType
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The cash outflow associated with the purchase of or advances to an equity method investments, which are investments in joint ventures and entities in which the entity has an equity ownership interest normally of 20 to 50 percent and exercises significant influence.

Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef
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Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	credit
Period Type:	duration

The cash outflow associated with the investment in or advances to an entity in which the reporting entity shares control of the entity with another party or group.

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Percentage of subsidiary's or equity investee's stock owned by parent company after stock transaction.

No definition available.

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Data Type:	num:percentItemType
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Period Type:	duration

Line items represent financial concepts included in a table. These concepts are used to disclose reportable information associated with domain members defined in one or many axes to the table.

No definition available.

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Data Type:	xbrli:stringItemType
Balance Type:	na
Period Type:	duration

Price of a single share of a number of saleable stocks of a company.

No definition available.

Name:	us-gaap_SharePrice
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	num:perShareItemType
Balance Type:	na
Period Type:	instant

Name:	us-gaap_CounterpartyNameAxis=csiq_CanadianSolarIncMember
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Data Type:	na
Balance Type:
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Name:	us-gaap_SubsidiarySaleOfStockAxis=us-gaap_PrivatePlacementMember
Namespace Prefix:
Data Type:	na
Balance Type:
Period Type:

Name:	us-gaap_SubsidiarySaleOfStockAxis=us-gaap_OverAllotmentOptionMember
Namespace Prefix:
Data Type:	na
Balance Type:
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Name:	us-gaap_CounterpartyNameAxis=csiq_MizuhoSecuritiesCoLtdMember
Namespace Prefix:
Data Type:	na
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Name:	us-gaap_ScheduleOfEquityMethodInvestmentEquityMethodInvesteeNameAxis=csiq_SuzhouGaochuangteNewEnergyCoLtdMember
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Data Type:	na
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Name:	us-gaap_ScheduleOfEquityMethodInvestmentEquityMethodInvesteeNameAxis=csiq_CSISkyPowerMember
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Data Type:	na
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Name:	us-gaap_ScheduleOfEquityMethodInvestmentEquityMethodInvesteeNameAxis=csiq_TwoSoltasSolarPowerProjectsMember
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Data Type:	na
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Name:	us-gaap_ScheduleOfEquityMethodInvestmentEquityMethodInvesteeNameAxis=csiq_CityLightLpMember
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Data Type:	na
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Name:	us-gaap_ScheduleOfEquityMethodInvestmentEquityMethodInvesteeNameAxis=csiq_SuzhouFinancialLeasingCoLtdMember
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Name:	us-gaap_ScheduleOfEquityMethodInvestmentEquityMethodInvesteeNameAxis=csiq_ReTranquillityHoldingsLlcMember
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Data Type:	na
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Name:	us-gaap_ScheduleOfEquityMethodInvestmentEquityMethodInvesteeNameAxis=csiq_ReRoserockHoldingsLlcMember
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Data Type:	na
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Name:	us-gaap_ScheduleOfEquityMethodInvestmentEquityMethodInvesteeNameAxis=csiq_ReGarlandHoldingsLlcMember
Namespace Prefix:
Data Type:	na
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Name:	us-gaap_ScheduleOfEquityMethodInvestmentEquityMethodInvesteeNameAxis=csiq_PiraporaSolarHoldingsS.a.Member
Namespace Prefix:
Data Type:	na
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Name:	dei_LegalEntityAxis=csiq_CSICellsCoLtdMember
Namespace Prefix:
Data Type:	na
Balance Type:
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Name:	dei_LegalEntityAxis=csiq_CSISolarPowerChinaIncMember
Namespace Prefix:
Data Type:	na
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Name:	us-gaap_ScheduleOfEquityMethodInvestmentEquityMethodInvesteeNameAxis=csiq_GCLCSISuzhouPhotovoltaicTechnologyCoLtdMember
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Name:	dei_LegalEntityAxis=csiq_EdfEnDoBrasisMember
Namespace Prefix:
Data Type:	na
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Name:	dei_LegalEntityAxis=csiq_CanadianSolarInfrastructureFundIncMember
Namespace Prefix:
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