“Mr. Wang was charged with espionage for obtaining trade secrets in the course of his duties with Hydro-Québec,” said Insp. David Beaudoin. “This is the first time this charge has been laid in Canada.”
Wang is facing four espionage-related charges, including: obtaining trade secrets, unauthorized use of computer, fraud for obtaining trade secrets, and breach of trust by public officer. An RCMP spokesperson confirmed to The Epoch Times that it’s the charge of “obtaining trade secrets” that has been applied for the first time.
While employed by Hydro-Québec, Wong allegedly used his position to conduct research for a Chinese University and other Chinese research centres, according to the RCMP. He also allegedly published scientific articles and submitted patents in association with a foreign actor rather than with Hydro-Québec, the provincial government-owned energy provider.
He allegedly used information without the knowledge of and without prior approval from his employer, which the RCMP said has caused “prejudice to the intellectual property of Hydro-Québec.”
The Integrated National Security Enforcement Team began an investigation in August 2022 in response to a complaint from Hydro-Québec’s corporate security branch regarding Wang’s alleged espionage activities, which the RCMP said were conducted between February 2018 and October 2020.
“Preventive action and measures were taken by Hydro-Québec and the RCMP to disrupt the individual’s activities,” Beaudoin said.
“Foreign actor interference is a topic and sphere of police operations that’s recently been gaining a lot of traction. We are more and more active in that sphere because we do believe that it is a subject that directly affects national security. Because of our increased involvement, we are looking at many more files than we used to in the past.”
The Epoch Times reached out to Hydro-Québec for comment but didn’t immediately hear back.
The utility said in a statement that Wang was a researcher who worked on battery materials with the Center of Excellence in Transportation Electrification and Energy Storage. It added that it had launched its own investigation before quickly informing authorities.
“Our detection and intervention mechanisms allowed our investigators to bring this matter to the attention of the RCMP, with whom we have worked closely ever since,” said Dominic Roy, senior director responsible for corporate security.
Wang is scheduled to appear in court in Longueuil, Quebec, on Nov. 15, to face charges under the Security of Information Act and the Criminal Code of Canada. He is accused of obtaining trade secrets, unauthorized use of a computer, fraud for obtaining trade secrets, and breach of trust by public officer, according to the news release.
