Charles-Borromée Rouleau was born in L'Isle Verte, Lower Canada (now Quebec) on December 13, 1840 to Joseph and Euphrosine (nee Patouël/Patoine) Rouleau. Rouleau studied at Ecole Normale Laval in Quebec and received his diplomas in 1859 and 1860. From 1861 until 1873 he served as the inspector of Catholic Schools in Ottawa, Ontario. In 1868 he was called to the Bar in Quebec and in 1876 he became District Magistrate in Ottawa. His career in the west began on September 28, 1883 when he was named a stipendiary magistrate and a member of the Executive Council for the Northwest Territories (now Alberta). Four years later in February 1887 he became Judge of the Northern Alberta Judicial District. He retained his posting to the Northwest Territories Supreme Court until his death in 1901.

Charles-B. Rouleau married Elvina Dumouchel on April 11, 1877. Together they had two daughters and one son. The family settled in Calgary, Alberta in 1889. Elvina Rouleau died on March 27, 1901. Months later on August 25, 1901, Charles-B. Rouleau died in Montreal while enroute to Europe with his daughter. He was buried in Calgary.