Represents the term of the insurance policy over which the insurance premium will be amortized.

No definition available.

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Namespace Prefix:	csiq_
Data Type:	xbrli:durationItemType
Balance Type:	na
Period Type:	duration

- Definition

Represents the unamortized carrying amount of insurance premium.

+ References

No definition available.

+ Details

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Namespace Prefix:	csiq_
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	debit
Period Type:	duration

- Definition

Represents the adjustment to the expense charged against earnings for the period pertaining to other non-current assets.

+ References

No definition available.

+ Details

Name:	csiq_OtherNoncurrentAssetsAdjustment
Namespace Prefix:	csiq_
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	debit
Period Type:	duration

- Definition

Represents the percentage of revenue which the entity uses as an estimate of warranty expense for sales of solar modules, which is included in cost of revenues.

+ References

No definition available.

+ Details

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Data Type:	num:percentItemType
Balance Type:	na
Period Type:	duration

- Definition

Represents the minimum percentage of decline in power generation capacity from the time of delivery which the entity warrants for a ten year period.

+ References

No definition available.

+ Details

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Namespace Prefix:	csiq_
Data Type:	num:percentItemType
Balance Type:	na
Period Type:	duration

- Definition

Represents the minimum percentage of decline in power generation capacity from the time of delivery which the entity warrants for a 25 year period.

+ References

No definition available.

+ Details

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Data Type:	num:percentItemType
Balance Type:	na
Period Type:	duration

- Definition

Represents the warranty period of solar modules for decline of more than 10 percent of the initial minimum power generation capacity.

+ References

No definition available.

+ Details

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Namespace Prefix:	csiq_
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- Definition

Represents the warranty period of solar modules for decline of more than 20 percent of the initial minimum power generation capacity.

+ References

No definition available.

+ Details

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Namespace Prefix:	csiq_
Data Type:	xbrli:durationItemType
Balance Type:	na
Period Type:	duration

- Definition

Represents the period of time over which the entity guarantees against defects in materials and workmanship.

+ References

No definition available.

+ Details

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Namespace Prefix:	csiq_
Data Type:	xbrli:durationItemType
Balance Type:	na
Period Type:	duration

- Definition

Carrying amount due after one year of the balance sheet date (or one operating cycle, if longer) of amount due in settlement of a claim for reimbursement from an insurance company when the Company has suffered a loss covered under an insurance policy.

+ References

Reference 1: http://fasb.org/us-gaap/role/ref/legacyRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 210
-SubTopic 10
-Section S99
-Paragraph 1
-Subparagraph (SX 210.5-02.17)
-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=6877327&loc=d3e13212-122682

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

- Definition

The expense charged against earnings for the period pertaining to standard and extended warranties on the entity's goods and services granted to customers.

+ References

Reference 1: http://fasb.org/us-gaap/role/ref/legacyRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 230
-SubTopic 10
-Section 45
-Paragraph 28
-Subparagraph (a)
-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=118932676&loc=d3e3602-108585

Reference 2: http://fasb.org/us-gaap/role/ref/legacyRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 460
-SubTopic 10
-Section 50
-Paragraph 8
-Subparagraph ((c)(3,4))
-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=68068213&loc=d3e12565-110249

+ Details

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Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	debit
Period Type:	duration

- Definition

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.

+ References

No definition available.

+ Details

Name:	us-gaap_ProductWarrantyLiabilityLineItems
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	xbrli:stringItemType
Balance Type:	na
Period Type:	duration

- Definition

Amount of increase (decrease) in the standard product warranty accrual from changes in estimates attributable to preexisting product warranties. Excludes extended product warranties.

+ References

Reference 1: http://fasb.org/us-gaap/role/ref/legacyRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 460
-SubTopic 10
-Section 50
-Paragraph 8
-Subparagraph ((c)(4))
-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=68068213&loc=d3e12565-110249

+ Details

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Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	credit
Period Type:	duration

- Details

Name:	us-gaap_GuaranteeObligationsByNatureAxis=csiq_EightyPercentInitialPowerCapacityMember
Namespace Prefix:
Data Type:	na
Balance Type:
Period Type:

- Details

Name:	srt_ProductOrServiceAxis=csiq_StandardSolarModuleMember
Namespace Prefix:
Data Type:	na
Balance Type:
Period Type:

- Details

Name:	us-gaap_GuaranteeObligationsByNatureAxis=csiq_MaterialAndWorkmanShipMember
Namespace Prefix:
Data Type:	na
Balance Type:
Period Type:

- Details

Name:	us-gaap_GuaranteeObligationsByNatureAxis=csiq_NinetySevenPercentInitialPowerCapacityMember
Namespace Prefix:
Data Type:	na
Balance Type:
Period Type:

- Details

Name:	us-gaap_GuaranteeObligationsByNatureAxis=csiq_NinetyThreeInitialPowerCapacityMember
Namespace Prefix:
Data Type:	na
Balance Type:
Period Type:

- Details

Name:	srt_ProductOrServiceAxis=csiq_SolarPowerProjectMember
Namespace Prefix:
Data Type:	na
Balance Type:
Period Type:

- Details

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Namespace Prefix:
Data Type:	na
Balance Type:
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- Details

Name:	srt_RangeAxis=srt_MinimumMember
Namespace Prefix:
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SUMMARY OF PRINCIPAL ACCOUNTING POLICIES - Warranty cost (Details) - USD ($) $ in Thousands		1 Months Ended		12 Months Ended
	May 31, 2009	Aug. 31, 2011	Jun. 30, 2009	Dec. 31, 2019	Dec. 31, 2018	Dec. 31, 2017
Warranty cost
Warranty accrual rate for sales of solar modules as a percentage of revenue				1.00%
Term of insurance policy over which the insurance premium will be amortized				1 year
Unamortized carrying amount of insurance premium				$ 1,486	$ 1,286
Insurance receivable				79,888	75,617
Warranty adjustment				1,446
Downward adjustment of other non-current assets				800
Warranty costs (net effect of adjustment) included in cost of revenues				$ 28,044	$ 13,188	$ 19,793
80% initial power capacity
Warranty cost
Warranty accrual rate for sales of solar modules as a percentage of revenue				80.70%
Standard solar modules
Warranty cost
Term of insurance policy over which the insurance premium will be amortized				25 years
Guarantee of solar modules for defects in materials and engineering design, installation and construction	2 years
Warranty period of solar modules and products against decline of more than 10% of initial power generation capacity	10 years
Warranty period of solar modules and products against decline of more than 20% of initial power generation capacity	25 years
Minimum percentage of decline in initial minimum power generation capacity for 10 years	10.00%
Minimum percentage of decline in initial minimum power generation capacity for 25 years	20.00%
Standard solar modules \| Material and workmanship
Warranty cost
Term of insurance policy over which the insurance premium will be amortized		10 years	6 years	12 years
Standard solar modules \| 97 % initial power capacity
Warranty cost
Warranty accrual rate for sales of solar modules as a percentage of revenue				97.50%
Standard solar modules \| 93% initial power capacity
Warranty cost
Warranty accrual rate for sales of solar modules as a percentage of revenue				0.70%
Solar Power Project
Warranty cost
Guarantee of solar modules for defects in materials and engineering design, installation and construction				10 years
Bifacial module and double glass module
Warranty cost
Warranty period of solar modules and products against decline of more than 10% of initial power generation capacity				30 years
Minimum
Warranty cost
Term of insurance policy over which the insurance premium will be amortized				25 years
Maximum
Warranty cost
Term of insurance policy over which the insurance premium will be amortized				30 years