Lacoursière was born in Shawinigan, in the Mauricie region, and currently resides in Beauport in the Greater Quebec area.
Lacoursière holds an M.A. degree in history from the University of Ottawa.
Renowned not only for his talents as a researcher, but also for his ability to communicate and make history accessible to a larger audience, he worked with film director Gilles Carle. Together they produced the TV series Épopée en Amérique : une histoire populaire du Québec which Lacoursière hosted in 1997.