Stock-based compensation (PSU Assumptions) (Details 4) - Share Units Plan [Member] - PSUs-ROIC - CAD / shares	12 Months Ended
Dec. 31, 2015	Dec. 31, 2014	Dec. 31, 2013
Equity settled awards
Assumptions
Stock price at grant date	CAD 84.55	CAD 76.29	CAD 76.29
Expected stock price volatility	15.00%	15.00%	17.00%
Expected term (years)	3 years	2 years	1 year
Risk-free interest rate	0.45%	1.02%	0.98%
Dividend rate per share (in dollars per share)	CAD 1.25	CAD 1	CAD 1
Weighted-average grant date fair value	CAD 50.87	66.84	75.15
Cash settled awards
Assumptions
Stock price end of period		CAD 77.35	77.35
Expected stock price volatility		23.00%
Expected term (years)		1 year
Risk-free interest rate		0.49%
Dividend rate per share (in dollars per share)		CAD 1.25
Fair value per unit		CAD 66.45	CAD 77.35

The fair value per unit of a cash settled award at period end.

No definition available.

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- Definition

The estimated dividend rate (per share) to be paid (expected dividends) to holders of the underlying shares over the term.

+ References

No definition available.

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- Definition

The stock price at grant date of equity settled stock-based compensation awards.

+ References

No definition available.

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- Definition

The weighted average fair value at grant date for nonvested equity-based awards issued during the period on other than stock (or unit) option plans (for example, phantom stock or unit plan, stock or unit appreciation rights plan, performance target plan).

+ References

Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 718
-SubTopic 10
-Section 50
-Paragraph 2
-Subparagraph (c)(2)(iii)(1)
-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=6415400&loc=d3e5070-113901

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- References

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- Definition

The estimated measure of the percentage by which a share price is expected to fluctuate during a period. Volatility also may be defined as a probability-weighted measure of the dispersion of returns about the mean. The volatility of a share price is the standard deviation of the continuously compounded rates of return on the share over a specified period. That is the same as the standard deviation of the differences in the natural logarithms of the stock prices plus dividends, if any, over the period.

+ References

Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 718
-SubTopic 10
-Section 50
-Paragraph 2
-Subparagraph (f)(2)(ii)
-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=6415400&loc=d3e5070-113901

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- Definition

The risk-free interest rate assumption that is used in valuing an option on its own shares.

+ References

Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 718
-SubTopic 10
-Section 50
-Paragraph 2
-Subparagraph (f)(2)(iv)
-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=6415400&loc=d3e5070-113901

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- Definition

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

+ References

No definition available.

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- Definition

Expected term of share-based compensation awards, in 'PnYnMnDTnHnMnS' format, for example, 'P1Y5M13D' represents the reported fact of one year, five months, and thirteen days.

+ References

Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 718
-SubTopic 10
-Section S99
-Paragraph 1
-Subparagraph (SAB TOPIC 14.D.2)
-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=27013229&loc=d3e301413-122809

Reference 2: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 718
-SubTopic 10
-Section 50
-Paragraph 2
-Subparagraph (f)(2)(i)
-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=6415400&loc=d3e5070-113901

Reference 3: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef
-Publisher SEC
-Name Staff Accounting Bulletin (SAB)
-Number Topic 14
-Section D
-Subsection 2

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