Last updated: September 15, 2026.

If you are selling a home in Saskatchewan, there are two documents that keep coming up in the closing conversation: a Real Property Report (RPR) and title insurance. They sound similar, they are often talked about in the same breath, and they cover very different things. Buyers usually pay for title insurance. Sellers usually pay for the RPR. Here is what each one is, what it costs in Saskatoon today, and how sellers should think about them.

Real Property Report vs Title Insurance in Saskatchewan

A Real Property Report is a legal survey document produced by a Saskatchewan Land Surveyor. It shows the location and dimensions of the buildings, decks, garages, fences, and any encroachments in relation to the property boundaries, along with any registered easements. Per the Saskatchewan Land Surveyors Association: "Prior to 1990, land surveyors issued documents called Surveyor's Certificates. In 1990, the Saskatchewan Land Surveyors Association adopted new standards to provide more information and better protect the public by replacing the Surveyor's Certificate with the Surveyor's Real Property Report."

Title insurance, by comparison, is an insurance policy that covers issues tied to ownership, such as unknown title defects, tax or utility arrears, survey problems, missing building permits, zoning violations, encroachments, and fraud. It is bought once, with a single premium, at closing.

The practical seller question is not really "RPR or title insurance" because the two do not substitute for each other one for one. It is: do I deliver an up-to-date RPR at closing, or does the buyer accept title insurance instead? Most Saskatoon purchase contracts ask for either an RPR with current compliance letter or title insurance acceptable to the buyer, at the seller's expense. The buyer's lawyer will usually accept whichever costs the seller less, provided the file is clean.

Typical Saskatoon Costs (2026)

Real Property Report: roughly $650 to $1,200 for a standard Saskatoon single-family lot, plus HST/PST and any rush charges. Larger lots, acreages, older subdivisions, and heavily-improved properties (decks, sheds, pools) cost more. The SLSA notes that field-crew travel, lot size, number of improvements, and the availability of survey monuments all move the price around.
City compliance letter confirming the RPR meets the current City of Saskatoon zoning bylaw: roughly $75 to $150, ordered from the City.
Title insurance (buyer's policy): typically $250 to $500 as a one-time premium on a Saskatoon residential purchase, sometimes higher for higher-value or multi-lender deals. Lender's title insurance is separate and usually required by the mortgage lender.

Because title insurance often costs less than a new RPR plus compliance letter, many Saskatoon sellers offer title insurance in lieu of an RPR when their existing survey is old, when improvements have been added since the last RPR, or when the closing timeline is short. Your lawyer will confirm the buyer's contract accepts that substitution.

What is Title Insurance

To understand title insurance, you need to understand what a title is. A title is the legal right to own the property. When you buy a home, that title is transferred into your name.

Title insurance is an insurance policy that covers issues related to that ownership. It protects you as a homebuyer against losses caused by issues that existed at the time of the policy's effective date and before, and stays in place until the home is sold.

Title Insurance vs Home Insurance

Whereas title insurance protects your legal ownership of the property, home insurance covers the physical home itself. Home insurance is ongoing coverage that requires a regular payment to keep the policy in place, and your mortgage lender will typically require it before possession day. Title insurance requires a one-time premium based on the property's value and is technically optional to the buyer, though a lender's title insurance policy is almost always required by the lender.

What Does Title Insurance Cover

Depending on the title insurance you purchase, your policy will likely cover the following common title defects, should you find yourself affected by them.

Title issues: defects with the title that may have rendered it unmarketable if known at the time of sale, including claims from other parties.
Tax and utility arrears: outstanding balances left by the previous owner on property taxes or utility bills that are now in arrears.
Survey defects: an out-of-date survey where a new one reveals the property would have been unmarketable in its current condition.
Zoning violations: the property has been used outside its approved zoning (residential living in a commercially-zoned area, for example) without the required permits.
Lack of building permits: the previous owner completed a renovation or extension without the permits the municipality now requires.
Encroachments: a shelter, deck, or laneway that sits partially or entirely on a neighbouring property and needs to be moved.
Fraud: someone forges your signature or identity to take your title or register a fraudulent mortgage in your name.
Gap coverage: protects you if, for whatever reason, title cannot be transferred to you on possession day.

Depending on the policy, additional coverages may be available. Discuss the specifics with your title insurance provider and your real estate lawyer before closing.

Seller's Bottom Line

When you list, ask your REALTOR® to check whether you already have a current RPR, when it was completed, and whether any improvements have been added since. If the RPR is current and clean, keep it and be prepared to deliver it at closing. If it is older or missing improvements, get a quote from a Saskatchewan Land Surveyor and a quote from your lawyer for title insurance in lieu, and pick the cheaper option that the buyer's lawyer will accept. That single decision often saves Saskatoon sellers several hundred to over a thousand dollars at closing.

FAQs

Do sellers pay for a Real Property Report or title insurance in Saskatoon?

In most Saskatoon transactions the seller pays for either a current Real Property Report with a compliance letter, or title insurance acceptable to the buyer in lieu of an RPR, at the seller's expense. The buyer separately pays for their own owner's title insurance policy and the lender's title insurance if the mortgage requires it.

How much does a Real Property Report cost in Saskatoon?

A Real Property Report for a standard Saskatoon single-family lot typically runs about $650 to $1,200 in 2026, plus a City of Saskatoon compliance letter at roughly $75 to $150. Larger lots, acreages, and properties with more improvements cost more, based on SLSA cost factors like field-crew travel, lot size, and number of buildings.

How much does title insurance cost on a Saskatoon home?

Owner's title insurance on a Saskatoon residential purchase typically costs $250 to $500 as a one-time premium, depending on price and lender. Lender's title insurance is a separate premium usually paid at closing when the lender requires it, and is often bundled into the buyer's closing legal invoice.

Is title insurance mandatory in Saskatchewan?

Owner's title insurance is optional in Saskatchewan, though many mortgage lenders require a lender's title insurance policy as a condition of financing. Many buyers still choose owner's title insurance for the added protection against title defects, encroachments, and fraud that existed on or before the policy date.

What does title insurance actually cover?

Depending on the policy, title insurance can cover title defects, third-party ownership claims, unpaid property taxes or utility bills, survey defects, zoning violations, missing building permits, encroachments, and fraud. Coverage varies by insurer, so review the specific policy with your real estate lawyer before closing.

Posted on April 15th, 2022

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