The RCMP described Hydro-Québec as a “vital infrastructure and strategic interest to protect.” Postmedia News

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A Hydro-Québec employee in the Montreal area has been charged with espionage after allegedly providing trade secrets to China “to the detriment of Canada’s economic interests,” the RCMP said Monday.

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Yuesheng Wang, 35, was arrested at his home in Candiac, south of Montreal, on Monday. Sign up to receive daily news headlines from the Montreal Gazette, a division of Postmedia Network Inc. By clicking the subscribe button you consent to receive the above newsletter from Postmedia Network Inc. You can unsubscribe at any time by clicking the unsubscribe link at the bottom of our emails. Postmedia Network Inc. | 365 Bloor Street East, Toronto, Ontario, M4W 3L4 | 416-383-2300

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He will appear in court in Longueuil on Tuesday to be charged with “obtaining trade secrets during his duties with Hydro-Québec,” according to an RCMP spokesperson. He will also be charged with unauthorized use of a computer and fraud and breach of trust by a public servant. RCMP Insp. David Beaudoin told reporters it is the first time in Canada that someone has faced a charge of financial espionage, which falls under the Security of Information Act. “This investigation is of great importance to us and sends a clear message,” he told a news conference at the RCMP’s Quebec headquarters in Westmount. “It demonstrates our and our partners’ commitment to working with sectors at risk.”

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He said Wang is accused of obtaining “industrial secrets” during his duties at Hydro-Québec. Wang, he said, allegedly did research on Chinese research centers and a Chinese university and published scientific articles and filed patents related to them and not to Hydro-Québec. He also allegedly used information without his employer’s consent, damaging Hydro-Québec’s intellectual property, she said. Beaudoin declined to say whether the defendant was paid by China for his alleged actions. The offenses allegedly took place between February 2018 and October 2022. The espionage charge carries a maximum sentence of 10 years in prison, he said. In a statement, the RCMP said the national security enforcement team launched an investigation in August following a complaint from Hydro-Québec’s corporate security branch.

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“Interference by foreign actors is a priority for many law enforcement and intelligence agencies around the world,” the RCMP wrote. “Hydro-Québec is considered critical infrastructure and a strategic interest to protect.” In a statement, Hydro-Québec said Wang was a researcher who worked on battery materials with the Center of Excellence in Transport Electrification and Energy Storage, known as CETEES. The utility said its security team had launched its own investigation before flag authorities. It added that Wang’s employment has been terminated. “Our detection and intervention mechanisms allowed our investigators to bring this matter to the attention of the RCMP, with whom we have been working closely ever since,” said Dominic Roy, senior director of corporate security.

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“No organization is safe from a situation like this, so we must always remain vigilant and transparent, and we must not tolerate violations of the company’s code of conduct.” The employee did not have access to information related to Hydro-Quebec’s “core mission” and his access was revoked when suspicions arose, the company added. He said the center where he worked develops technology for electric vehicles and energy storage systems. While this is the first time a trade secrets charge has been laid in Canada, Beaudoin said foreign interference is a growing priority for law enforcement. “We are increasingly active in this area because we believe it is an issue that directly affects national security,” he said. “Due to our increased involvement, we are looking at many more cases than in the past, and because of that we were able to lay the criminal charges today.”

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Wang will remain in custody until his court appearance, he added. Beaudoin could not confirm whether Wang is a Canadian citizen. Federal Minister of Innovation, Science and Industry Francois-Philippe Champan said on Monday that he was “concerned” by this espionage case and hoped that the investigation would get “to the bottom of things”. He said his recent decision to ban Chinese companies from critical mining activities in Canada “shows once again that we have to be extremely careful and really make sure we’re applying all the rules to be able to detect and prevent. It sends a message to Canadian businesses to be prudent under the circumstances.” Bloc Québécois MP Kristina Michaud, vice-chair of the Standing Committee on Public Safety and National Security in the House of Commons, called the incident “not newsworthy” but said she was “glad” to see the RCMP “act with all seriousness required .”

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He said it was voted last year in the House of Commons for the government to have a register of foreign agents, similar to the one in Australia. But “the government has done nothing,” he said. Conservative MP Pierre Paul-Hus said the arrest is confirmation that Chinese espionage exists in Canada and that the country needs to be better protected. “We’ve had three foreign ministers say they have plans, including Minister Joly last week. But we still don’t know what the plan is. Even the Canadian Security Intelligence Service doesn’t know what the plan is.”

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title: “Rcmp Arrest Hydro Qu Bec Employee Suspected Of Spying For China " ShowToc: true date: “2022-10-29” author: “George Barrett”

The RCMP described Hydro-Québec as a “vital infrastructure and strategic interest to protect.” Postmedia News

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A Hydro-Québec employee in the Montreal area has been charged with espionage after allegedly providing trade secrets to China “to the detriment of Canada’s economic interests,” the RCMP said Monday.

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Yuesheng Wang, 35, was arrested at his home in Candiac, south of Montreal, on Monday. Sign up to receive daily news headlines from the Montreal Gazette, a division of Postmedia Network Inc. By clicking the subscribe button you consent to receive the above newsletter from Postmedia Network Inc. You can unsubscribe at any time by clicking the unsubscribe link at the bottom of our emails. Postmedia Network Inc. | 365 Bloor Street East, Toronto, Ontario, M4W 3L4 | 416-383-2300

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He will appear in court in Longueuil on Tuesday to be charged with “obtaining trade secrets during his duties with Hydro-Québec,” according to an RCMP spokesperson. He will also be charged with unauthorized use of a computer and fraud and breach of trust by a public servant. RCMP Insp. David Beaudoin told reporters it is the first time in Canada that someone has faced a charge of financial espionage, which falls under the Security of Information Act. “This investigation is of great importance to us and sends a clear message,” he told a news conference at the RCMP’s Quebec headquarters in Westmount. “It demonstrates our and our partners’ commitment to working with sectors at risk.”

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He said Wang is accused of obtaining “industrial secrets” during his duties at Hydro-Québec. Wang, he said, allegedly did research on Chinese research centers and a Chinese university and published scientific articles and filed patents related to them and not to Hydro-Québec. He also allegedly used information without his employer’s consent, damaging Hydro-Québec’s intellectual property, she said. Beaudoin declined to say whether the defendant was paid by China for his alleged actions. The offenses allegedly took place between February 2018 and October 2022. The espionage charge carries a maximum sentence of 10 years in prison, he said. In a statement, the RCMP said the national security enforcement team launched an investigation in August following a complaint from Hydro-Québec’s corporate security branch.

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“Interference by foreign actors is a priority for many law enforcement and intelligence agencies around the world,” the RCMP wrote. “Hydro-Québec is considered critical infrastructure and a strategic interest to protect.” In a statement, Hydro-Québec said Wang was a researcher who worked on battery materials with the Center of Excellence in Transport Electrification and Energy Storage, known as CETEES. The utility said its security team had launched its own investigation before flag authorities. It added that Wang’s employment has been terminated. “Our detection and intervention mechanisms allowed our investigators to bring this matter to the attention of the RCMP, with whom we have been working closely ever since,” said Dominic Roy, senior director of corporate security.

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“No organization is safe from a situation like this, so we must always remain vigilant and transparent, and we must not tolerate violations of the company’s code of conduct.” The employee did not have access to information related to Hydro-Quebec’s “core mission” and his access was revoked when suspicions arose, the company added. He said the center where he worked develops technology for electric vehicles and energy storage systems. While this is the first time a trade secrets charge has been laid in Canada, Beaudoin said foreign interference is a growing priority for law enforcement. “We are increasingly active in this area because we believe it is an issue that directly affects national security,” he said. “Due to our increased involvement, we are looking at many more cases than in the past, and because of that we were able to lay the criminal charges today.”

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Wang will remain in custody until his court appearance, he added. Beaudoin could not confirm whether Wang is a Canadian citizen. Federal Minister of Innovation, Science and Industry Francois-Philippe Champan said on Monday that he was “concerned” by this espionage case and hoped that the investigation would get “to the bottom of things”. He said his recent decision to ban Chinese companies from critical mining activities in Canada “shows once again that we have to be extremely careful and really make sure we’re applying all the rules to be able to detect and prevent. It sends a message to Canadian businesses to be prudent under the circumstances.” Bloc Québécois MP Kristina Michaud, vice-chair of the Standing Committee on Public Safety and National Security in the House of Commons, called the incident “not newsworthy” but said she was “glad” to see the RCMP “act with all seriousness required .”

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He said it was voted last year in the House of Commons for the government to have a register of foreign agents, similar to the one in Australia. But “the government has done nothing,” he said. Conservative MP Pierre Paul-Hus said the arrest is confirmation that Chinese espionage exists in Canada and that the country needs to be better protected. “We’ve had three foreign ministers say they have plans, including Minister Joly last week. But we still don’t know what the plan is. Even the Canadian Security Intelligence Service doesn’t know what the plan is.”

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Postmedia is committed to maintaining a lively but civil forum for discussion and encourages all readers to share their views on our articles.  Comments may take up to an hour for moderation before appearing on the site.  We ask that you keep your comments relevant and respectful.  We’ve enabled email notifications—you’ll now receive an email if you get a reply to your comment, there’s an update on a comment thread you’re following, or if a user follows the comments.  Visit the Community Guidelines for more information and details on how to adjust your email settings.