High River town council's moving forward with a software purchase that will be able to handle all municipal departments on one platform.

This new system will handle payroll and benefits along with human resources.

Mayor Craig Snodgrass says it's invaluable.

"This is a 100 per cent necessity for running a municipality now, for having this, to have software like this because nowadays it incorporates all of your electronic needs, everything's there," he says.

Snodgrass says there are software systems for corporations but there haven't been for municipalities so this will be a great help.

To buy, implement and staff a new system will cost $220,000 and another $60,000 a year for licensing.

The mayor says it hasn't been easy finding the right system.

"There's nothing in the Canadian market that is there, there are a few in the U.S. market but they are all 100 per cent U.S. based and none of the U.S. companies have solutions that will fit for Canada, different regulations etc., we can't be going back to pen and paper on sheets of foolscap."

The contract was awarded to Ceridian Canada Ltd.