Born in Timmins, Ontario, Kreiner was an alpine racing prodigy in Canada, the youngest of six children of Margaret (Peggy) and Harold O. Kreiner (1920–1999), a Timmins physician and her coach until she made the national team. He was the team doctor for the Canadian alpine ski team for the 1966 World Championships in Portillo, Chile, and the Canadian Olympic team for the winter games in 1968 in Grenoble, France.