Economic espionage verdict due in Hydro-Québec case

A Quebec Court judge is expected to deliver a verdict Friday in the case of Yuesheng Wang, a former Hydro-Québec researcher and the first person charged with economic espionage under Canada's Security of Information Act.

Wang, a Chinese national and resident of Candiac, south of Montreal, was arrested in 2022. The Crown alleges he shared proprietary research from Hydro-Québec with Chinese entities without permission. Prosecutors also claim that while employed at the utility, Wang submitted applications to Chinese universities under a recruitment program used by the Chinese government to attract foreign-trained scientists back to China.

Wang has pleaded not guilty. In testimony last November, he said there was nothing improper about his interest in returning to China, stating he was unhappy at work and concerned with visa issues.

The case marks a significant moment in Canada's national security enforcement and has drawn attention to intellectual property protection in critical infrastructure sectors.