CanLII Search
Generate effective Boolean searches for Canadian legal research
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Quick Tips
How it works
Enter your search items in order (main issue → phase/outcome → related issue → nuance/test → variants → cases). Use plain English; Boolean is handled for you.
Copy the Boolean output from the tool and paste it into CanLII's advanced search box.
Adjust the search in CanLII by changing or removing proximity connectors (/s, /p, 0) if your results are too narrow or too broad.
Building a Strong Search
Think of your search as adding layers. Each layer helps you zoom in:
- Main issue: the core topic of the case (wrongful dismissal, child custody, drug trafficking, judicial review).
- Phase / outcome: stage or result at issue (sentencing, appeal, variation application, suspension, denial).
- Related issue: secondary question tied to the main issue (reasonable notice, relocation, search and seizure, standard of review).
- Nuance / test: legal test, right, or qualifier that narrows things (Bardal factors, duty to mitigate, best interests of the child, Charter s. 8, aggravating factors).
- Variants / synonyms: alternative phrasings or statutory terms ("over 80", possession for the purpose, licence revocation, CDSA).
- Leading cases: named precedents to anchor your search (Bhasin v Hrynew, Gordon v Goertz, R v Grant, Vavilov).
⚠️ Don't add dates or provinces here. Always set time and jurisdiction filters in CanLII after pasting your Boolean.
Proximity Search – How to Focus Your Results
Each search element is connected by a proximity operator. These control how close criteria must appear:
/s= same sentence (narrower)/p= same paragraph (wider)0= no proximity requirement (widest)
Example:
"wrongful dismissal" /p "reasonable notice" /s "long-service"
→ "wrongful dismissal" and "reasonable notice" must be in the same paragraph;
→ "reasonable notice" and "long-service" must be in the same sentence.
🔑 Proximity adjustments are always made in CanLII after you paste in the Boolean output.
Proximity Ladder: Narrow → Wide
This ladder assumes there are three proximity criteria in the boolean output. Use this as a guide to refine your search if there are more or less than three proximity criteria in your output.
| Step | Connectors | Meaning |
| 1 | /s - /s - /s |
All criteria in same sentence (tightest). |
| 2 | 0 - /s - /s |
First widened; last two still sentence-tight. |
| 3 | 0 - 0 - /s |
Only last link sentence-tight. |
| 4 | 0 - /s - /p |
One sentence-tight, one paragraph-wide. |
| 5 | /p - /p - /p |
All paragraph-wide. |
| 6 | 0 - /p - /p |
First dropped, two paragraph-wide. |
| 7 | 0 - 0 - /p |
Only last link paragraph-wide. |
| 8 | 0 - 0 - 0 |
No proximity limits (widest). |
Rule of Thumb:
- Too few results → step down (toward 0).
- Too many results → step up (swap /p to /s).
Refining Your Results
- Too many results? Add a legal test, case name, or outcome keyword (appeal dismissed, sentencing).
- Too few results? Remove a test or case; swap specific terms for broader ones (severance → compensation).
- Always use CanLII's date and jurisdiction filters after generating your Boolean.