Morton says that he was born in Quebec of an English father and French mother, but the DCB[1] does not repeat this.
Primeau went to York Factory and joined the Hudson's Bay Company (HBC), a British business.
When "pedlars" (English-speaking Montreal traders) began appearing in the interior, he reported their movements and recommended that the HBC build posts inland.
Because of his French background, the HBC did not fully trust him but needed his woodland skills.
In 1772 he and Isaac Batt escorted 160 Indian canoes to York Factory, but before reaching that point, all but 35 of these were diverted to the Pedlar post on Cedar Lake in Manitoba.
He was one of the men who scouted the interior for the HBC before the company began to build inland posts.