The bill gets big when a second property enters the picture, a rental suite or a cottage sold in the same year as the Erindale home, since that gain is fully taxable and stacking two sales in one tax year is what actually pushes people into an unplanned bracket.
On the buying side, Saskatchewan's lack of a land transfer tax already keeps a downsizing move cheaper than in most provinces, leaving the Information Services Corporation title transfer fee and legal fees, typically $800 to $1,500, as the real cost rather than a percentage tax on the purchase.
Timing which sale closes first, and getting an accurate number on the Erindale home before it lists, does more to control the bill than any tax strategy. Get your hand-reviewed valuation from Joel Dyck.