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 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

It represents the reduced Foreign statutory income tax rate on account of tax exemptions.

No definition available.

Name:	csiq_ReducedForeignIncomeTaxRateOnAccountOfTaxExemptions
Namespace Prefix:	csiq_
Data Type:	num:percentItemType
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

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.

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=65882285&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.

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

Amount of decrease in unrecognized tax benefits resulting from tax positions taken in prior period tax returns.

Name:	us-gaap_UnrecognizedTaxBenefitsDecreasesResultingFromPriorPeriodTaxPositions
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=65882285&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

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

Name:	us-gaap_UnrecognizedTaxBenefitsIncreasesResultingFromForeignCurrencyTranslation
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:
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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:
Period Type:

Name:	dei_LegalEntityAxis=csiq_CanadianSolarUSAIncMember
Namespace Prefix:
Data Type:	na
Balance Type:
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Name:	dei_LegalEntityAxis=csiq_CanadianSolarEnergyAcquisitionCo.Member
Namespace Prefix:
Data Type:	na
Balance Type:
Period Type:

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

Name:	dei_LegalEntityAxis=csiq_CanadianSolarJapanKKMember
Namespace Prefix:
Data Type:	na
Balance Type:
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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:
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Name:	us-gaap_IncomeTaxAuthorityAxis=country_VN
Namespace Prefix:
Data Type:	na
Balance Type:
Period Type:

Name:	dei_LegalEntityAxis=csiq_CanadianSolarManufacturingVietnamCo.LtdMember
Namespace Prefix:
Data Type:	na
Balance Type:
Period Type:

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

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