Peter Outerbridge grew up in Toronto as a youngest of five siblings. He is of Swedish and Bermudian descent. His grandparents from the father's side were Protestant missionaries in China in the 1920s. After they returned to Canada his grandfather became the priest in the Lutheran-Reformed Church in the northern Ontario. After the high school Peter Outerbridge enrolled at the University of Victoria to study acting. Afterwards he toured Canada for four years with the theatre group Way Off Broadway. In 1997 and 2002 he was nominated in the Canadian Genie Awards as the best actor in the films Kissed and Marine life respectively. He was also nominated in the Gemini Awards for his achievements. In 2000 he married actress Tammy Isbell.