Try not to put after-tax money that's now in savings into your RRSP to reduce tax. Not unless that's why you saved it in the first place, and if that was true, why would you be asking? Taking money out before you retire is subject to withholding of ten and twenty percent, and at retirement you're penalized if you do anything but buy an annuity to pay out monthly. RRSPs are for retirement.
Although they can act as a short-term tax deferral—"next year I'm taking a sabbatical year off, so I'll set up a short term RRSP"—they work best, as has been said, for long term in and out. Again, they're for retirement.
With a steady income, you should be looking at paying into an RRSP over the year on a regular basis, which will accomplish the same thing: protect that money from bad impulses, and allow you to think of it as before-tax money (it helps). It's called planning for retirement.
Meantime, your savings have already been taxed—or shortly will be. Try to hang onto them as discretionary investment money and emergency funds, some readily available some securely invested for growth/income and some for opportunity.
I'd look at borrowing to pay into the RRSP. If you use your tax refund, to pay off the loan, and get rid of the remaining balance before the year's out, you could very well have an RRSP, and your savings, and still be ahead overall compared to just moving the savings (even if you were virtuous enough to start next year's RRSP w/ your refund). Banks are quite happy to make RRSP loans, especially w/ your savings balance as security. They want you to have pots of money (with them) for your retirement.
But this plan depends on committing to the enforced 'savings' of the fast loan payback. Drag it out and you'll be the loser. Even if you do go for the loan, think: repay+next year=what I can afford. And that brings us right back to: Commit to paying into next year's plan NOW. Think long term, plan to have savings and RRSPs.
