What’s going on at StarFish Medical?
StarFish Medical, a medical technology design firm based in Saanich, has laid off approximately 10% of its workforce, citing the impact of global tariffs and a cooling North American investment climate.
- 11 full-time staff in Saanich were laid off Wednesday, with a few additional part-time roles affected, CEO Scott Phillips confirmed in an interview with CHEK News.
- The company employed 115 people at its Saanich headquarters prior to the layoffs, located at 455 Boleskine Rd.
- A similar number of staff were let go at the company’s Toronto office, where the impact is “more noticeable” due to the smaller team.
What’s driving the decision?
Phillips cited a combination of trade instability, tariff regimes, and weakening investor confidence, particularly in the U.S. – the company’s largest market – as reasons for the downsizing.
“We made the decision to right-size ourselves to the market, so that we can be resilient enough to deal with whatever other turbulence comes our way,” Phillips said.
- Only 10% of StarFish’s revenue comes from products. Most of its business comes from contract design services, yet the uncertainty has still rippled through the company’s operations.
- The medical tech firm has completed “tens of millions” of dollars in deals with U.S. companies that often sell globally, meaning tariffs and trade slowdowns impact the whole pipeline.
Departments affected and future outlook
Layoffs were made across several departments including engineering, quality assurance, regulatory affairs, accounting, manufacturing, and facilities.
- Phillips described it as a “light cut across all of it,” not a dramatic restructuring.
- “We’ll be fine, our clients are strong,” he said. “But we couldn’t continue to hold on to that much capacity.”
Despite the layoffs, Phillips remains optimistic:
“Canada can actually be an important place for American companies that want to sell into Europe… We think we can be highly agile and resilient to whatever the regime is.”
ADDITIONAL RESOURCES
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Next steps for StarFish Medical employees
If you’ve been affected by the layoffs at StarFish Medical, understanding your legal rights is crucial.
Non-unionized employees in Canada’s medical tech sector are entitled to severance pay based on a variety of factors, including their role, tenure, age, and ability to find similar work.
ℹ️ Want a quick overview on severance pay? Watch the video below or check out the full episode in our TV section.
Here’s what you need to know
- Compensation: Severance packages, which can be as much as 24 months’ pay, may include salary, bonuses, commissions, and other forms of compensation. Use our firm’s free Severance Pay Calculator to better understand your entitlements.
- Deadlines: You generally have up to two years from the date of your termination to review and negotiate severance offers.
- Action steps: Consult an employment lawyer at Samfiru Tumarkin LLP to ensure your severance package is fair and aligns with Canadian employment laws.
Many companies cutting jobs
StarFish Medical isn’t the only major employer scaling back its staffing levels in 2025.
Other big names, including Match Group, Meta, CrowdStrike, Expedia Group, Morningstar, Cenovus Energy, Intel, Infosys, Google, Alstom, Microsoft, S&S Activewear, Siemens, HPE, and Wayfair, have also pulled out the axe.
SEE ALSO
• Estée Lauder reportedly cut all Canadian staff in Hudson’s Bay stores
• Canada’s immigration department slashing workforce by 25%
• Where are layoffs happening in Canada?
Lost your job? Contact us
If you’re affected by the latest round of layoffs at StarFish Medical, the experienced employment law team at Samfiru Tumarkin LLP can help.
Our lawyers in Ontario, Alberta, and British Columbia have helped tens of thousands of non-unionized individuals resolve their workplace issues.
Call us today at 1-855-821-5900 or request a consultation online.
