Apple to shut down higher education Authorized Campus Stores in Canada this June

People familiar with Apple's plans said the company will be closing all community college and university Authorized Campus Stores in Canada sometime in June. The move comes as students increasingly turn to the Online Apple Store or major retail chains to purchase Macs and iOS devices, making the Apple-subsidized on-campus stores financially unviable.

Sources told AppleInsider that Apple will not sign its usual contracts with certain Canadian educational institutions, but the exact date on which the current agreements expire is unknown.

The sources, however, note current Authorized Campus Stores have until May 31 to sell existing Mac and iPad stock, suggesting an early June end date. After supply is exhausted, campus shops will only be allowed to sell accessories and peripherals.

Apple's change in policy has sparked a fire sale at some institutions like the University of Victoria in British Columbia, which is "blowing out" Apple inventory at-cost. For most products, markdowns are not substantial, but now may be a good time to buy for students in the market for big-ticket items like a MacBook Pro.

As for the U.S., Apple is expected to keep the Authorized Campus Store initiative alive — at least for now — as some larger institutions generate substantial revenue for the company. On a whole, however, campus sales performance has been slowly sinking to sub-par levels.

Apple has long touted its role in education, beginning with the earliest Macs, then with the eMac initiative and now the iPad in education push. Although it will no longer have an official physical presence on campuses across Canada come June, Apple will continue to serve educational discounts through its online storefront and authorized dealers.

AppleInsider has requested comment from Apple and will update when a response is received.