Klassen attended Killarney Secondary School in Vancouver and earned a Bachelor of Arts in political science from the University of British Columbia.
[1] Prior to his election, Klassen served as British Columbia provincial director for the Canadian Federation of Independent Business (CFIB) and vice president of public affairs at the BC Care Providers Association.
Klassen criticized the provincial government for shifting the fee burden of recycling to businesses,[4] critiqued municipalities' spending on wages and benefits for public sector employees,[5] praised the City of Langford for eliminating annual business license fees,[6] and highlighted the need for a comprehensive plan for the province's reversion from the Harmonized Sales Tax.
[9][10] In May 2023, Klassen moved an amendment to a city staff report concerning the municipal vacancy tax, which had been raised from 3% to 5% by the previous council under mayor Kennedy Stewart.
[11] Klassen led a city-wide "Vancouver Beautification Day" in June 2023 to remove graffiti and repair vandalism in partnership with business improvement associations.