Section 176(1)(c) of the amended Act empowers a local government to provide assistance to benefit the community or any aspect of it. Assistance is defined as:
• providing a grant, benefit, advantage or other form of assistance, including:
- an exemption from a tax, fee or charge, including waiving of a charge normally associated with use of local government property or services provided by local government employees
- disposal of land or improvements, or any interest or right in them, for less than market value
- lending money
- guaranteeing repayment of borrowing or providing security for borrowing
Section 182 prohibits granting assistance to an industrial, commercial or business undertaking. An exception to the prohibition against assistance to business, Section 183 provides that a local government may provide assistance under a partnering agreement (which is defined as an agreement between a local government and a public or private entity under which the entity agrees to provide or manage a facility or work for the local government or provide a service on behalf of the local government).