The City of Ottawa announced Friday that it's taking a million-dollar step toward ending chronic homelessness in the city.

With the help of Leadership Table on Homelessness, the group of business leaders and government officials that made the announcement Friday, the city said it hopes to help 100 chronically homeless people a year.

The city said it has committed $1 million a year to provide support for the 100 homeless who will soon be given homes.

The support funding will be divided among a number of health and support agencies within the city and the housing – at least this year – will come as a donation.

Ottawa Community Housing and the Centretown Citizens Ottawa Corporation are both contributing.

"These are members of our community who live on the streets or use the emergency shelter system for at least 60 cumulative nights in any given year," said Janet Yale, explaining the Leadership Table's definition of chronic homelessness.

The goal of the project, she said, is to offer a permanent, stable home along with the support that's required to make that type of transition.

"Many of these people are mentally ill, or have serious personal challenges, or suffer from substance abuse issues because of the intensity of their challenges," said Yale.

With 1,400 chronically homeless people in Ottawa, the city hopes to be able to eliminate chronic homelessness over the next 10 years, Yale said.