bˈɔːɹn ɪn mˌɑːntɹɪˈɔːl, kwᵻbˈɛk, tɹˈɑːɾɪɚ ɡɹˈædjuːˌeɪɾᵻd fɹʌm bˈæɹən bˈaɪŋ hˈaɪ skˈuːl ænd ðɛɹˈæftɚ ɹᵻsˈiːvd ɐ bˈætʃəlɚɹ ʌv ˌɛndʒɪnˈɪɹɪŋ ɪn ᵻlˈɛktɹɪkəl ˌɛndʒɪnˈɪɹɪŋ ɪn nˈaɪntiːnhˈʌndɹɪd sˈɛvənti ænd ɐ mˈæstɚz ʌv ˌɛndʒɪnˈɪɹɪŋ ɪnðə sˈeɪm fˈiːld ɪn nˈaɪntiːnhˈʌndɹɪd sˈɛvənti θɹˈiː bˈoʊθ fɹʌm mə ɡˈɪl jˌuːnɪvˈɜːsᵻɾi.
Born in Montreal, Quebec, Trottier graduated from Baron Byng High School and thereafter received a Bachelor of Engineering in Electrical Engineering in 1970 and a Masters of Engineering in the same field in 1973 both from McGill University.