Want to help clean up the Great Lakes in your neighbourhood?

Ontario has launched a $1.5-million fund to help communities protect their part of the Great Lakes.

Environment Minister Jim Bradley unveiled the initiative at Queen’s Park on Tuesday.

The Great Lakes Guardian Community Fund is an annual fund with a $25,000 cap per project, available to not-for-profit groups.

Bradley said a team from his ministry will evaluate the applications.

“I think each one of us knows of people who are interested in their local waterways. This allows that kind of empowerment of the communities and those individuals,” Bradley said.

And while PC critic Michael Harris supports the idea, he’s cautious about the accountability process.

“Time and time we’ve seen funds be used and no real accountability for the dollars that were spent, in terms of bringing that value to tax payers,” said Harris, “There’s a concern with the reporting mechanism, who’s going to evaluate the proposals,  who’s going to evaluate the work that’s been done at the end of the day.”

Bradley expects to see some projects started as early as this summer.

Applications will be accepted until October 12.