Name:	csiq_EffectiveIncomeTaxRateReconciliationAtFederalAndProvincialIncomeTaxRate
Namespace Prefix:	csiq_
Data Type:	num:percentItemType
Balance Type:	na
Period Type:	duration

Represents the corporate income tax rate in foreign jurisdiction.

No definition available.

Name:	csiq_IncomeTaxesForeignCorporateTaxRate
Namespace Prefix:	csiq_
Data Type:	num:percentItemType
Balance Type:	na
Period Type:	duration

- References

No definition available.

Name:	csiq_IncomeTaxesLineItems
Namespace Prefix:	csiq_
Data Type:	xbrli:stringItemType
Balance Type:	na
Period Type:	duration

Represents the transition period of new enterprise income tax law.

No definition available.

Name:	csiq_IncomeTaxesTransitionPeriodOfNewEnterpriseIncomeTaxLaw
Namespace Prefix:	csiq_
Data Type:	xbrli:durationItemType
Balance Type:	na
Period Type:	duration

Represents the period of statute of limitations for the entity's income tax returns containing transfer pricing adjustment.

No definition available.

Name:	csiq_PeriodOfStatuteOfLimitationsForTransferPricingAdjustment
Namespace Prefix:	csiq_
Data Type:	xbrli:durationItemType
Balance Type:	na
Period Type:	duration

Represents the period of statute of limitations for the entity's income tax returns, if there is underpayment of income taxes due to computational errors.

No definition available.

Name:	csiq_PeriodOfStatuteOfLimitationsIfUnderpaymentIsDueToComputationalErrors
Namespace Prefix:	csiq_
Data Type:	xbrli:durationItemType
Balance Type:	na
Period Type:	duration

Represents the period of statute of limitations for the entity's income tax returns under special circumstances.

No definition available.

Name:	csiq_PeriodOfStatuteOfLimitationsUnderSpecialCircumstances
Namespace Prefix:	csiq_
Data Type:	xbrli:durationItemType
Balance Type:	na
Period Type:	duration

Represents the threshold for underpayment of income tax liability that is listed as a special circumstance.

No definition available.

Name:	csiq_StatuteOfLimitationsSpecialCircumstanceThresholdForUnderpaymentOfIncomeTaxLiability
Namespace Prefix:	csiq_
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	credit
Period Type:	duration

The gross amount of decreases in unrecognized tax benefits resulting from tax positions taken in prior period tax returns and or lapses of the applicable statutes of limitations, excluding amounts pertaining to examined tax returns.

No definition available.

Name:	csiq_UnrecognizedTaxBenefitsDecreasesResultingFromPriorPeriodTaxPositionsAndOrLapseOfApplicableStatuteOfLimitations
Namespace Prefix:	csiq_
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	debit
Period Type:	instant

A roll forward is a reconciliation of a concept from the beginning of a period to the end of a period.

No definition available.

Name:	us-gaap_ReconciliationOfUnrecognizedTaxBenefitsExcludingAmountsPertainingToExaminedTaxReturnsRollForward
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	xbrli:stringItemType
Balance Type:	na
Period Type:	duration

Amount of unrecognized tax benefits pertaining to uncertain tax positions taken in tax returns.

Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 740
-SubTopic 10
-Section 50
-Paragraph 15A
-Subparagraph (a)
-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=6907707&loc=SL6600010-109319

Reference 2: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Glossary Unrecognized Tax Benefit
-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=6527854

Name:	us-gaap_UnrecognizedTaxBenefits
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	credit
Period Type:	instant

Amount of decrease in unrecognized tax benefits resulting from foreign currency translation.

No definition available.

Name:	us-gaap_UnrecognizedTaxBenefitsDecreasesResultingFromForeignCurrencyTranslation
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	debit
Period Type:	duration

Amount accrued for interest on an underpayment of income taxes and penalties related to a tax position claimed or expected to be claimed in the tax return.

Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 740
-SubTopic 10
-Section 50
-Paragraph 15
-Subparagraph (c)
-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=6907707&loc=d3e32718-109319

Name:	us-gaap_UnrecognizedTaxBenefitsIncomeTaxPenaltiesAndInterestAccrued
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	credit
Period Type:	instant

Amount of increase in unrecognized tax benefits resulting from tax positions that have been or will be taken in current period tax return.

Name:	us-gaap_UnrecognizedTaxBenefitsIncreasesResultingFromCurrentPeriodTaxPositions
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	credit
Period Type:	duration

Name:	us-gaap_IncomeTaxAuthorityAxis=us-gaap_DomesticCountryMember
Namespace Prefix:
Data Type:	na
Balance Type:
Period Type:

Name:	dei_LegalEntityAxis=csiq_CanadianSolarSolutionsIncMember
Namespace Prefix:
Data Type:	na
Balance Type:
Period Type:

Name:	us-gaap_IncomeTaxAuthorityAxis=country_US
Namespace Prefix:
Data Type:	na
Balance Type:
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Name:	dei_LegalEntityAxis=csiq_CanadianSolarUSAIncMember
Namespace Prefix:
Data Type:	na
Balance Type:
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Name:	us-gaap_IncomeTaxAuthorityAxis=country_JP
Namespace Prefix:
Data Type:	na
Balance Type:
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Name:	dei_LegalEntityAxis=csiq_CanadianSolarJapanKKMember
Namespace Prefix:
Data Type:	na
Balance Type:
Period Type:

Name:	us-gaap_IncomeTaxAuthorityAxis=country_DE
Namespace Prefix:
Data Type:	na
Balance Type:
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Name:	dei_LegalEntityAxis=csiq_CanadianSolarEMEAGmbHMember
Namespace Prefix:
Data Type:	na
Balance Type:
Period Type:

Name:	us-gaap_IncomeTaxAuthorityAxis=country_HK
Namespace Prefix:
Data Type:	na
Balance Type:
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Name:	dei_LegalEntityAxis=csiq_CanadianSolarInternationalLtdMember
Namespace Prefix:
Data Type:	na
Balance Type:
Period Type:

Name:	us-gaap_IncomeTaxAuthorityAxis=country_CN
Namespace Prefix:
Data Type:	na
Balance Type:
Period Type:

Name:	dei_LegalEntityAxis=csiq_CSISolartronicsChangshuCoLtdMember
Namespace Prefix:
Data Type:	na
Balance Type:
Period Type:

Name:	dei_LegalEntityAxis=csiq_CSISolarTechnologiesIncMember
Namespace Prefix:
Data Type:	na
Balance Type:
Period Type:

Name:	dei_LegalEntityAxis=csiq_CSICellsCoLtdMember
Namespace Prefix:
Data Type:	na
Balance Type:
Period Type:

Name:	dei_LegalEntityAxis=csiq_CanadianSolarManufacturingLuoyangIncMember
Namespace Prefix:
Data Type:	na
Balance Type:
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Name:	dei_LegalEntityAxis=csiq_CanadianSolarManufacturingChangshuIncMember
Namespace Prefix:
Data Type:	na
Balance Type:
Period Type:

Name:	dei_LegalEntityAxis=csiq_CSISolarPowerChinaIncMember
Namespace Prefix:
Data Type:	na
Balance Type:
Period Type: