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Stock-based Compensation (Narrative) (Details) - CAD ($)
$ / shares in Units, $ in Thousands, shares in Millions
 12 Months Ended
Dec. 31, 2020
Dec. 31, 2019
Stock option plan, Additional information    
Percentage of Outstanding Stock Maximum 10.00%  
Dividend Reinvestment Plan    
Stock option plan, Additional information    
Maximum aggregate number of common shares reserved for issuance 7.0 4.0
Share Unit Plans    
Maximum aggregate number of common shares reserved for issuance 7.0 4.0
DSU Plan    
Share Unit Plans    
Cash payments made during the year $ 11,000 $ 22,000
Employee Stock Option Plan    
Stock option plan, Additional information    
Maximum aggregate number of common shares reserved for issuance 3.5 3.9
Share Unit Plans    
Maximum aggregate number of common shares reserved for issuance 3.5 3.9
Share Unit Plans    
Stock option plan, Additional information    
Maximum aggregate number of common shares reserved for issuance 3.5 0.9
Share Unit Plans    
Maximum aggregate number of common shares reserved for issuance 3.5 0.9
Stock Option Plan    
Stock option plan, Additional information    
Share-based payment award, Description The Company has a stock option plan that grants options to senior management of the Company for a maximum term of 10 years. The option price of the stock options is the closing market price of the stocks on the day before the option is granted. The maximum aggregate number of shares issuable under this plan is 11.7 million shares. As at December 31, 2020, Emera is in compliance with this requirement. Stock options vest in 25 per cent increments on the first, second, third and fourth anniversaries of the date of the grant. If an option is not exercised within 10 years, it expires and the optionee loses all rights thereunder. The holder of the option has no rights as a shareholder until the option is exercised and shares have been issued. The total number of stocks to be optioned to any optionee shall not exceed five per cent of the issued and outstanding common stocks on the date the option is granted. Unless a stock option has expired, vested options may be exercised within the 24 months following the option holders date of retirement or termination for other than just cause, and within six months following the date of termination for just cause, resignation or death. If stock options are not exercised within such time, they expire.  
Maximum term 10 years  
Maximum aggregate number of common shares reserved for issuance 11.7  
Vesting Rights The holder of the option has no rights as a shareholder until the option is exercised and shares have been issued.  
Percentage of Outstanding Stock Maximum 5.00%  
Policy for Issuing Shares upon Exercise The total number of stocks to be optioned to any optionee shall not exceed five per cent of the issued and outstanding common stocks on the date the option is granted.  
Cash received for options exercised $ 19,000 $ 97,000
Total intrinsic value of options exercised $ 6,000 $ 32,000
Exercise Price Range, Lower Range Limit $ 32.06 $ 32.06
Exercise Price Range, Upper Range Limit $ 60.03 $ 46.39
Fair Value Assumptions, Method Used The Company uses the Black-Scholes valuation model to estimate the compensation expense related to its stock-based compensation and recognizes the expense over the vesting period on a straight-line basis.  
Share Unit Plans    
Compensation cost recognized for employee and director $ 1,000 $ 1,000
Maximum aggregate number of common shares reserved for issuance 11.7  
Stock Option Plan | First Anniversary    
Stock option plan, Additional information    
Vesting rights, percentage 25.00%  
Stock Option Plan | Second Anniversary    
Stock option plan, Additional information    
Vesting rights, percentage 25.00%  
Stock Option Plan | Third Anniversary    
Stock option plan, Additional information    
Vesting rights, percentage 25.00%  
Stock Option Plan | Fourth Anniversary    
Stock option plan, Additional information    
Vesting rights, percentage 25.00%  
Share Unit Plans | Share Unit Plans    
Stock option plan, Additional information    
Share-based payment award, Description The Company has Deferred Share Unit Plan (“DSU”), Performance Share Unit Plan (“PSU”) and Restricted Share Unit Plan (“RSU”) plans and the liabilities are marked-to-market at the end of each period based on an average common share price at the end of the period.  
Deferred Share Unit Plans    
Share Unit Plans    
Compensation cost recognized for employee and director $ 2,000 24,000
Tax Benefit related to compensation costs for share units realized 1,000 7,000
Deferred Share Unit Plans | Employee    
Share Unit Plans    
Share Unit Plans: Aggregate intrinsic value 36,000 40,000
Deferred Share Unit Plans | Director    
Share Unit Plans    
Share Unit Plans: Aggregate intrinsic value $ 32,000 30,000
Deferred Share Unit Plans | Share Unit Plans | DSU Plan    
Share Unit Plans    
Deferred Share Unit Plan, Description When incentive awards are determined, the amount elected is converted to DSUs, which have a value equal to the market price of an Emera common share. When a dividend is paid on Emera’s common shares, each participant’s DSU account is allocated additional DSUs equal in value to the dividends paid on an equivalent number of Emera common shares. Following termination of employment or retirement, and by December 15 of the calendar year after termination or retirement, the value of the DSUs credited to the participant’s account is calculated by multiplying the number of DSUs in the participant’s account by the average of Emera’s stock closing price for the fifty trading days prior to a given calculation date. Payments are usually made in cash. At the sole discretion of the Management Resources and Compensation Committee (“MRCC”), payments may be made in the form of actual shares. In addition, special DSU awards may be made from time to time by the MRCC to selected executives and senior management to recognize singular achievements or by achieving certain corporate objectives.  
Deferred Share Unit Plans | Share Unit Plans | DSU Plan | Executive and senior management    
Share Unit Plans    
Deferred Share Unit Plan, Description Under the executive and senior management DSU plan, each participant may elect to defer all or a percentage of their annual incentive award in the form of DSUs with the understanding, for participants who are subject to executive share ownership guidelines, a minimum of 50 per cent of the value of their actual annual incentive award (25 per cent in the first year of the program) will be payable in DSUs until the applicable guidelines are met.  
Deferred Share Unit Plans | Share Unit Plans | DSU Plan | Director    
Share Unit Plans    
Deferred Share Unit Plan, Description Under the Directors’ DSU plan, Directors of the Company may elect to receive all or any portion of their compensation in DSUs in lieu of cash compensation, subject to requirements to receive a minimum portion of their annual retainer in DSUs. Directors’ fees are paid on a quarterly basis and, at the time of each payment of fees, the applicable amount is converted to DSUs. A DSU has a value equal to one Emera common share. When a dividend is paid on Emera’s common shares, the Director’s DSU account is credited with additional DSUs. DSUs cannot be redeemed for cash until the Director retires, resigns or otherwise leaves the Board. The cash redemption value of a DSU equals the market value of a common share at the time of redemption, pursuant to the plan. Following retirement or resignation from the Board, the value of the DSUs credited to the participant’s account is calculated by multiplying the number of DSUs in the participant’s account by Emera’s closing common share price on the date DSUs are redeemed.  
Performance Share Unit Plan    
Share Unit Plans    
Tax Benefit related to compensation costs for share units realized $ 7,000 9,000
Cash payments made during the year 29,000 7,000
Performance Share Unit Plan | Employee    
Share Unit Plans    
Share Unit Plans: Aggregate intrinsic value $ 68,000 88,000
Performance Share Unit Plan | Share Unit Plans    
Stock option plan, Additional information    
Share-based payment award, Description Under the PSU plan, certain executive and senior employees are eligible for long-term incentives payable through the PSU plan. PSUs are granted annually for three-year overlapping performance cycles, resulting in a cash payment. PSUs are granted based on the average of Emera’s stock closing price for the fifty trading days prior to the effective grant date. Dividend equivalents are awarded and paid in the form of additional PSUs. The PSU value varies according to the Emera common share market price and corporate performance. PSUs vest at the end of the three-year cycle and the payouts will be calculated and approved by the MRCC early in the following year. The value of the payout considers actual service over the performance cycle and may be pro-rated in certain departure scenarios.  
Compensation cost recognized for stock options $ 27,000 34,000
Restricted Share Unit Plan    
Share Unit Plans    
Tax Benefit related to compensation costs for share units realized 1,000  
Share Unit Plans: Aggregate intrinsic value $ 10,000  
Restricted Share Unit Plan | Employee    
Share Unit Plans    
Share Unit Plans: Aggregate intrinsic value   $ 0
Restricted Share Unit Plan | Share Unit Plans    
Stock option plan, Additional information    
Share-based payment award, Description In 2020, Emera introduced an RSU plan, where certain executive and senior employees are eligible for long-term incentives payable through the RSU plan. RSUs are granted annually for three-year overlapping performance cycles, resulting in a cash payment. RSUs are granted based on the average of Emera’s stock closing price for the fifty trading days prior to the effective grant date. Dividend equivalents are awarded and paid in the form of additional RSUs. The RSU value varies according to the Emera common share market price. RSUs vest at the end of the three-year cycle and the payouts will be calculated and approved by the MRCC early in the following year. The value of the payout considers actual service over the performance cycle and may be pro-rated in certain departure scenarios.  
Compensation cost recognized for stock options $ 4,000