Gain (Loss) on Disposition of Property Plant Equipment, after Tax

No definition available.

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Namespace Prefix:	cp_
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	credit
Period Type:	duration

- Definition

Number of miles.

+ References

No definition available.

+ Details

Name:	cp_NumberOfMiles
Namespace Prefix:	cp_
Data Type:	num:lengthItemType
Balance Type:	na
Period Type:	instant

- Definition

Amount of gain (loss) on sale or disposal of property, plant and equipment assets, including oil and gas property and timber property.

+ References

Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 230
-SubTopic 10
-Section 45
-Paragraph 28
-Subparagraph (b)
-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=31042434&loc=d3e3602-108585

+ Details

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Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	credit
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

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Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	xbrli:stringItemType
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Period Type:	duration

- Definition

The cash inflow from the sale of formerly productive land held for sale, anything permanently fixed to it, including buildings, structures on it, and so forth.

+ References

Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 230
-SubTopic 10
-Section 45
-Paragraph 12
-Subparagraph (c)
-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=31042434&loc=d3e3179-108585

+ Details

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

- Details

Name:	dei_LegalEntityAxis=cp_NorfolkSouthernCorporationMember
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Data Type:	na
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- Details

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Namespace Prefix:
Data Type:	na
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Period Type:

Gain on Sale of Delaware & Hudson South (Details) CAD in Millions, $ in Millions			3 Months Ended	12 Months Ended
	Sep. 18, 2015 CAD	Sep. 18, 2015 USD ($)	Sep. 30, 2015 CAD	Dec. 31, 2015 CAD	Dec. 31, 2014 CAD	Dec. 31, 2013 CAD	Nov. 17, 2014 mi
Income Statement, Balance Sheet and Additional Disclosures by Disposal Groups, Including Discontinued Operations [Line Items]
Proceeds from sale				CAD 281	CAD 0	CAD 0
Gain on sale of Delaware & Hudson South				CAD 68	CAD 0	CAD 0
Norfolk Southern Corporation [Member] \| Delaware and Hudson Railway Company [Member]
Income Statement, Balance Sheet and Additional Disclosures by Disposal Groups, Including Discontinued Operations [Line Items]
Number of miles \| mi							283
Proceeds from sale	CAD 281	$ 214
Gain on sale of Delaware & Hudson South			CAD 68
Gain on sale, after tax			CAD 42