Watch the 2017 Polaris Music Prize live tonight, beginning at 8 p.m. ET.

Since 2006, the Polaris Music Prize has been awarded annually to the best Canadian album, based on artistic merit and regardless of genre or commercial popularity.

This year, the Polaris Music Prize will be presented on Sept. 18 at the Carlu in Toronto. The gala will be webcast above beginning at 8 p.m. ET — with performances from shortlisted nominees, including Tanya Tagaq, Lisa LeBlanc and Leif Vollebekk — or you can catch it on CBC Music's Facebook page.

To know more about how the Polaris Music Prize winner is chosen, watch the short video primer below. Catch up on all our Polaris coverage via CBCMusic.ca/Polaris, and tune in to Radio 2 Drive with host Rich Terfry at 6 p.m. (6:30 p.m NT) on Sept. 18 for a pre-gala rundown of this year's shortlist nominees.

In addition, you can also watch a CBC Music Facebook Live ahead of the 2017 Polaris Music Prize tonight at 7 p.m. ET, where Polaris gala (and Radio 2) host Raina Douris will chat with former grand jury member Nicole Villeneuve about the grand jury voting process and just how heated it can be.