BC Transmission Corporation is the provincial Crown corporation that plans, operates and maintains the province of British Columbia's publicly-owned electrical transmission system. BCTC was created in 2003 to ensure fair and open access to the transmission system. BC Hydro owns the transmission assets (such as towers, poles and substations) and BCTC manages those assets. BCTC is responsible for: - Operating the system: ensuring the transmission of electricity through wires and transmission facilities from a state-of-the-art control centre - Planning the system: planning for system upgrades, building new infrastructure and ensuring that BC has a reliable electricity supply for the future - Maintaining the system: keeping electrical equipment safe and reliable, managing trees and vegetation and developing innovative solutions to extend the life of transmission assets