Share Capital - Stock Option Activity with Respect to QLT Plan (Detail) (CAD)	0 Months Ended		12 Months Ended
	Nov. 22, 2013	Jul. 15, 2013	Dec. 31, 2013	Dec. 31, 2012	Dec. 31, 2011
Disclosure Of Compensation Related Costs Sharebased Payments [Abstract]
Number of Options Outstanding, Beginning balance			1,416,016	6,048,197	6,100,101
Number of Options, Granted	350,000	962,000	1,312,000	889,250	1,430,900
Number of Options, Exercised			(1,183,952)	(4,408,867)	(451,867)
Number of Options, Forfeited and expired			(136,535)	(1,112,564)	(1,030,937)
Number of Options Outstanding, Ending balance			1,407,529	1,416,016	6,048,197
Weighted Average Exercise Price Outstanding, Beginning balance			6.25	5.44	5.49
Number of Options, Exercisable			257,332
Weighted Average Exercise Price, Granted	5.38	4.54	4.76	7.06	7.19
Weighted Average Exercise Price, Exercised			7.99	4.82	4.98
Weighted Average Exercise Price, Forfeited and expired			6.28	8.12	8.36
Weighted Average Exercise Price Outstanding, Ending balance			4.94	6.25	5.44
Weighted Average Exercise Price, Exercisable			5.37
Weighted Average Remaining Contractual Term (Years), Outstanding			9 years 1 month 6 days
Weighted Average Remaining Contractual Term (Years), Exercisable			7 years 9 months 15 days