The provincial government laid out more details of its so-called $25-a-day child care plan today in St. John’s.

Surrounded by children at play outside New Dimensions Child Care in the city’s west end, Premier Andrew Furey and ministers Tom Osborne and Siobhan Coady trumpeted the fact that they made good on this promise.

In essence, government is increasing the grant they provide for regulated child care centres, reducing costs to operate, thus allowing them to reduce fees from $44 to $25 a day.

While 70 per cent of regulated child care centres participate in the operating grant program, government said it will encourage those that don’t, as well as those not already regulated, to sign on as well.

Regulated family child care homes will also be eligible for the program.

$3-million has been earmarked for this fiscal year for the new program which takes effect January 1, with a total of $12-million in annual money anticipated in the spring budget.