Other assets - Deferred financing costs (Details) - CAD CAD in Thousands	12 Months Ended
Dec. 31, 2017	Dec. 31, 2016
Deferred financing costs [Abstract]
Cost	CAD 1,390	CAD 550
Accumulated Amortization	683	230
Net Book Value	707	320
Payments of financing fees	2,982	99
Amortization of deferred financing costs	797	572
Revolver
Deferred financing costs [Abstract]
Payments of financing fees	840	30
Amortization of deferred financing costs	CAD 453	CAD 162

Amount of accumulated amortization of debt issuance costs related to line of credit arrangements.

Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 835
-SubTopic 30
-Section S45
-Paragraph 1
-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=68176171&loc=SL68176184-208336

+ Details

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

- Definition

Amount of amortization expense attributable to debt issuance costs.

+ References

Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 835
-SubTopic 30
-Section 45
-Paragraph 3
-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=64930785&loc=d3e28555-108399

Reference 2: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 230
-SubTopic 10
-Section 45
-Paragraph 28
-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=98514028&loc=d3e3602-108585

Reference 3: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 225
-SubTopic 10
-Section S99
-Paragraph 2
-Subparagraph (SX 210.5-03(8))
-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=63488584&loc=d3e20235-122688

Reference 4: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 942
-SubTopic 225
-Section S99
-Paragraph 1
-Subparagraph (SX 210.9-04(8))
-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=6879574&loc=d3e536633-122882

+ Details

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

- Definition

Amount, before accumulated amortization, of debt issuance costs related to line of credit arrangements. Includes, but is not limited to, legal, accounting, underwriting, printing, and registration costs.

+ References

+ Details

Name:	us-gaap_DebtIssuanceCostsLineOfCreditArrangementsGross
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	debit
Period Type:	instant

- Definition

Amount, after accumulated amortization, of debt issuance costs related to line of credit arrangements. Includes, but is not limited to, legal, accounting, underwriting, printing, and registration costs.

+ References

+ Details

Name:	us-gaap_DebtIssuanceCostsLineOfCreditArrangementsNet
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	debit
Period Type:	instant

- References

No definition available.

+ Details

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

- Definition

The cash outflow for loan and debt issuance costs.

+ References

Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 230
-SubTopic 10
-Section 45
-Paragraph 15
-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=98514028&loc=d3e3291-108585

+ Details

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

- Details

Name:	us-gaap_LongtermDebtTypeAxis=us-gaap_RevolvingCreditFacilityMember
Namespace Prefix:
Data Type:	na
Balance Type:
Period Type: