Hydro spying trial delayed as court weighs utility’s motion to shield information

Defence lawyer Gary Martin, left, meets his client Yuesheng Wang and his partner as they arrive for his espionage trial at the Longueuil courthouse in Longueuil, Que., on Monday, Oct. 6, 2025. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Christinne Muschi

LONGUEUIL — The trial of a former Hydro-Québec employee facing economic espionage charges remains on hold over arguments about the utility’s commercial secrets.

Hydro-Québec prompted the delay after introducing a motion to prevent some information in the case from being revealed in open court.

The court arguments about the utility’s motion are subject to a publication ban and cannot be reported.

Yuesheng Wang, 38, is the man on trial in the case.

He was arrested in 2022 and authorities say he is the first person to be charged with economic espionage under Canada’s Security of Information Act.

Wang has pleaded not guilty and the charges against him have not been tested in court.

Wang was also charged under the Criminal Code for fraudulent use of a computer, fraudulently obtaining a trade secret and breach of trust.

In April 2024, Wang was arraigned on two additional charges of committing preparatory acts on behalf of a foreign entity and informing that entity — the People’s Republic of China — of his intentions.

Quebec court Judge Jean-Philippe Marcoux is presiding over the case.

This report by The Canadian Press was first published Oct. 7, 2025

The Canadian Press