Bill and his wife, Marcy, had their first child, daughter Chloe, in July. The couple enjoys boating during their spare time and owns a motor boat, which they keep in Bill's hometown of North Bay, Ontario. The family dog is a yellow Labrador named Bubba. Last summer, Bill spent some time working on his pottery skills making dog food bowls and vases. He is also a big fan of the NFL and attended Buccaneers games quite often while living in Tampa Bay. Bill likes listening to classic rock. An avid reader, Bill likes Dean Koontz and Michael Crichton novels, listing Koontz's Intensity as his favorite. During the offseason he attends classes at the University of Nipissing in his native Ontario, working toward a degree in education with plans to be a teacher. Bill's favorite foods are pasta and chicken.

Bill Houlder joined the Sharks last season and basically became the Sharks' best blueliner. Bill has a certain flair for the offense and drills a big league point shot.