Ruttan was born in Anchorage, Alaska and later moved with his parents to Victoria, British Columbia. His mother was born in Nome, Alaska; his father in Manitoba. His ancestors were Loyalists from New York and New Jersey, who arrived from Lorraine, France in the 1600s, and settled in Hay Bay, Ontario. He was educated at Monterey Elementary School, Oak Bay High School and Victoria College. He has lived in the Nanaimo area for over 45 years.
