Business Combination, Minimum Period of Operating Rights

No definition available.

Name:	bbu_BusinessCombinationMinimumPeriodOfOperatingRights
Namespace Prefix:	bbu_
Data Type:	xbrli:durationItemType
Balance Type:	na
Period Type:	duration

- Definition

Business Combination, Number Of Gaming Facilities

+ References

No definition available.

+ Details

Name:	bbu_BusinessCombinationNumberOfGamingFacilities
Namespace Prefix:	bbu_
Data Type:	xbrli:integerItemType
Balance Type:	na
Period Type:	duration

- Definition

Decrease Through Distributions, Joint Ventures And Associates

+ References

No definition available.

+ Details

Name:	bbu_DecreaseThroughDistributionsJointVenturesAndAssociates
Namespace Prefix:	bbu_
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	credit
Period Type:	duration

- Definition

[Line Items] for Disclosure Of Associates And Joint Ventures [Table]

+ References

No definition available.

+ Details

Name:	bbu_DisclosureOfAssociatesAndJointVenturesLineItems
Namespace Prefix:	bbu_
Data Type:	xbrli:stringItemType
Balance Type:	na
Period Type:	duration

- Definition

Proportion Of Ownership Interest In Associate And Joint Venture

+ References

No definition available.

+ Details

Name:	bbu_ProportionOfOwnershipInterestInAssociateAndJointVenture
Namespace Prefix:	bbu_
Data Type:	num:percentItemType
Balance Type:	na
Period Type:	duration

- Definition

Proportion Of Voting Power Held In Associate And Joint Venture

+ References

No definition available.

+ Details

Name:	bbu_ProportionOfVotingPowerHeldInAssociateAndJointVenture
Namespace Prefix:	bbu_
Data Type:	num:percentItemType
Balance Type:	na
Period Type:	duration

- Definition

The number of instruments or interests issued or issuable at acquisition date for equity interests of the acquirer transferred as consideration in a business combination.

+ References

Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/disclosureRef
-Name IFRS
-Number 3
-IssueDate 2018-01-01
-Paragraph B64
-Subparagraph f
-Clause iv
-URI http://eifrs.ifrs.org/eifrs/XBRL?type=IFRS&num=3&date=2018-03-01&anchor=para_B64_f_iv&doctype=Appendix&seq=2
-URIDate 2018-03-16

+ Details

Name:	ifrs-full_NumberOfInstrumentsOrInterestsIssuedOrIssuable
Namespace Prefix:	ifrs-full_
Data Type:	xbrli:decimalItemType
Balance Type:	na
Period Type:	instant

- Definition

The percentage of voting equity interests acquired in a business combination. [Refer: Business combinations [member]]

+ References

Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/disclosureRef
-Name IFRS
-Number 3
-IssueDate 2018-01-01
-Paragraph B64
-Subparagraph c
-URI http://eifrs.ifrs.org/eifrs/XBRL?type=IFRS&num=3&date=2018-03-01&anchor=para_B64_c&doctype=Appendix&seq=2
-URIDate 2018-03-16

+ Details

Name:	ifrs-full_PercentageOfVotingEquityInterestsAcquired
Namespace Prefix:	ifrs-full_
Data Type:	num:percentItemType
Balance Type:	na
Period Type:	instant

- Details

Name:	ifrs-full_BusinessCombinationsAxis=bbu_GamingFacilitiesMember
Namespace Prefix:
Data Type:	na
Balance Type:
Period Type:

- Details

Name:	dei_LegalEntityAxis=bbu_BrookfieldBusinessPartnersL.P.AndInstitutionalInvestorsMember
Namespace Prefix:
Data Type:	na
Balance Type:
Period Type:

- Details

Name:	srt_ScheduleOfEquityMethodInvestmentEquityMethodInvesteeNameAxis=bbu_TeekayOffshorePartnersL.P.Member
Namespace Prefix:
Data Type:	na
Balance Type:
Period Type:

- Details

Name:	srt_ScheduleOfEquityMethodInvestmentEquityMethodInvesteeNameAxis=bbu_TeekayOffshoreGPMember
Namespace Prefix:
Data Type:	na
Balance Type:
Period Type:

- Details

Name:	ifrs-full_BusinessCombinationsAxis=bbu_TeekayOffshorePartnersL.P.Member
Namespace Prefix:
Data Type:	na
Balance Type:
Period Type:

- Details

Name:	ifrs-full_ComponentsOfEquityAxis=bbu_WarrantsMember
Namespace Prefix:
Data Type:	na
Balance Type:
Period Type:

EQUITY ACCOUNTED INVESTMENTS - Narrative (Details) $ in Millions			12 Months Ended
	Jul. 02, 2018	Jan. 23, 2018 gaming_facility	Dec. 31, 2019 USD ($)	Dec. 31, 2018 USD ($)	Jul. 03, 2018
Disclosure Of Associates And Joint Ventures [Line Items]
Distributions received from equity accounted investments \| $			$ 62	$ 29
Gaming Facilities
Disclosure Of Associates And Joint Ventures [Line Items]
Number of gaming facilities \| gaming_facility		3
Minimum period of operating rights		22 years
Brookfield Business Partners L.P. and Institutional Investors \| Teekay Offshore Partners L.P.
Disclosure Of Associates And Joint Ventures [Line Items]
Economic interest	60.00%
Brookfield Business Partners L.P. and Institutional Investors \| Teekay Offshore GP
Disclosure Of Associates And Joint Ventures [Line Items]
Voting interest	49.00%
Brookfield Business Partners L.P. and Institutional Investors \| Teekay Offshore Partners L.P. \| Teekay Offshore GP
Disclosure Of Associates And Joint Ventures [Line Items]
Percentage of voting equity interests acquired					2.00%
Brookfield Business Partners L.P. and Institutional Investors \| Warrants \| Teekay Offshore Partners L.P.
Disclosure Of Associates And Joint Ventures [Line Items]
Number of instruments or interests issued or issuable					1,000,000