Condensed Consolidated Statements of Changes in Shareholders' Equity (USD $) In Thousands, except Share data	Total	Common Shares [Member]	Additional Paid-in Capital [Member]	Accumulated Deficit [Member]	Accumulated Other Comprehensive Income [Member]
Beginning Balance at Dec. 31, 2012	$ 388,318	$ 471,712	$ 296,024	$ (482,387)	$ 102,969	[1]
Beginning Balance, Shares at Dec. 31, 2012		51,589,405
Exercise of stock options, for cash	7,217	9,978	(2,761)	0	0	[1]
Exercise of stock options, for cash, shares		1,183,952
Stock-based compensation	567	0	567	0	0	[1]
Restricted stock based compensation	32	0	32	0	0	[1]
Common share repurchase (Note 7(b))	(13,479)	(15,461)	1,982	0	0	[1]
Common share repurchase, Shares		(1,691,479)
Cash distribution to common shareholders at $3.92 per share (Note 7(a))	(200,000)	0	(200,000)	0	0	[1]
Net loss and comprehensive loss	(24,871)	0	0	(24,871)	0	[1]
Ending Balance at Dec. 31, 2013	157,784	466,229	95,844	(507,258)	102,969	[1]
Ending Balance, Shares at Dec. 31, 2013	51,081,878	51,081,878
Stock-based compensation	538	0	538	0	0	[1]
Restricted stock based compensation	14	0	14	0	0	[1]
Net loss and comprehensive loss	(6,462)	0		(6,462)	0	[1]
Ending Balance at Mar. 31, 2014	151,874	466,229	96,396	(513,720)	102,969	[1]
Ending Balance, Shares at Mar. 31, 2014		51,081,878
Stock-based compensation	404	0	404	0	0	[1]
Restricted stock based compensation	15	0	15	0	0	[1]
Net loss and comprehensive loss	(8,638)	0	0	(8,638)	0	[1]
Ending Balance at Jun. 30, 2014	143,655	466,229	96,815	(522,358)	102,969	[1]
Ending Balance, Shares at Jun. 30, 2014		51,081,878
Exercise of stock options, for cash	509	750	(241)	0	0	[1]
Exercise of stock options, for cash, shares	104,044	104,044
Uncertain tax position liability recovery (Note 9)	837		837
Stock-based compensation	165	0	165	0	0	[1]
Restricted stock based compensation	14	0	14	0	0	[1]
Net loss and comprehensive loss	(4,932)	0	0	(4,932)	0	[1]
Ending Balance at Sep. 30, 2014	$ 140,248	$ 466,979	$ 97,590	$ (527,290)	$ 102,969	[1]
Ending Balance, Shares at Sep. 30, 2014	51,185,922	51,185,922

[1] At September 30, 2014 our accumulated other comprehensive income is entirely related to historical cumulative translation adjustments resulting from the application of U.S. dollar reporting when the functional currency of QLT Inc. was the Canadian dollar