A Steering Committee was established to realise this. It was during one of their meetings in Barbados in November 1998, that it was decided that the mission of the regional entity would be the planning and implementation of programmes utilizing international and regional financial assistance available through the governments of Canada, Australia and through Olympic Solidarity; a sub unit of the International Olympic Committee (IOC).This entity (Caucus) would represent the interests of all regional National Olympic Committees (NOCs), Commonwealth Games Federations (CGFs) and other key stakeholders and would be committed to the preservation of their autonomy, working in conjunction with governments to achieve regional goals.

At a meeting of the Working Group of the Caucus in May 1999, it was agreed that the Caucus be located in Port of Spain, Trinidad & Tobago and managed by the Trinidad & Tobago Olympic Committee (TTOC).

The work of the Caucus included the preparation of a Constitution. This work resulted in the establishment of the Caribbean Association of National Olympic Committees, the Constitution of which was adopted on July 31st, 2003 in Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic. The first Managing Committee was given the mandate to stage Games in the Caribbean which would present to Caribbean people, at home, quadrenially, the best Caribbean athletes.
Member countries would bid to host each edition of the Games.

CANOC convenes annually in General Assembly. The 5th Annual General Assembly was held on 13th October, 2007 in Mayaguez, Puerto Rico.

The official language of CANOC is English.

The Secretariat is located in Trinidad and Tobago, at the Olympic House, 63 Dundonald Street, Port of Spain.