Canadian Science Fiction and Fantasy Awards (“the Auroras”) have been presented annually since 1980 with the exception of 1984. The name Aurora has been officially in use since 1991. The primary function of Canvention is the presentation of the annual Canadian Science Fiction & Fantasy Association Awards (Prix AURORA Awards). The other function is to hold the CSFFA AGM. When the Canadian SF and Fantasy Association was started in 1980 there was only one award given out. Since 1991 awards have been presented in 10 categories.
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Starting in 2011 there will be 10 professional awards (5 english and 5 french), 4 fan awards, and the artistic achievement award (open to both pros & fans).
In 2011, through an agreement between CSFFA and SFSF Boréal the French-language Auroras were combined with the Prix Boréal (in the Professional categories only) to make the Prix Aurora Boréal and the administration of the the Prix Aurora Boréal will be handled by SFSF Boréal on behalf of CSFFA. Not all of the items in the agreement can be observed in 2011, the first year of the agreement, so, for instance, voting will be done on-site at the Boréal convention this year only, instead of on-line as it will be in following years.
The Aurora awards are somewhat similar, in the method by which they are selected, to the style of the Hugo awards (which are presented at the SF Worldcon).  First there is a nomination phase to select a short list. Then a voting phase to pick the winner from the short list using the preferential voting method (this method has the voter rank their choices in each category).
Each year a different convention or group has hosted the awards. The awards are financed by voting fees, donations and by the host convention. There is no permanent funding. It is the objective of the CSFFA Board of Directors to correct this.