Investments in affiliates and joint ventures - Summary of Movement in Investments In Affiliates and Joint Ventures (Details) - CAD ($) $ in Thousands	12 Months Ended
Dec. 31, 2023	Dec. 31, 2022
Equity Method Investment, Financial Statement, Reported Amounts [Roll Forward]
Balance, beginning of the year	$ 75,637	$ 55,974
Additions arising from the acquisition of MacKellar	85	0
Share of net income	25,815	37,053
Dividends and advances received from affiliates and joint ventures	(21,543)	(12,760)
Intercompany eliminations and other	1,441	(4,630)
Balance, end of the year	$ 81,435	$ 75,637

Equity Method Investment, Financial Statement, Reported Amounts [Roll Forward]

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Equity Method Investments, Intercompany Eliminations And Other

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Proceeds From Equity Method Investment, Distribution, Net

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This item represents the carrying amount on the entity's balance sheet of its investment in common stock of an equity method investee. This is not an indicator of the fair value of the investment, rather it is the initial cost adjusted for the entity's share of earnings and losses of the investee, adjusted for any distributions (dividends) and other than temporary impairment (OTTI) losses recognized.

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Amount of income (loss) for proportionate share of equity method investee's income (loss).

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The cash outflow associated with the purchase of or advances to an equity method investments, which are investments in joint ventures and entities in which the entity has an equity ownership interest normally of 20 to 50 percent and exercises significant influence.

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