Born in Montreal, Claude Bachand is married to Martine Perreault and is father of three. He trained as a teacher and has worked for the Bois Francs school board, teaching math, physics and chemistry. He is very involved in his community and was mayor of the municipality of Saint Norbert d’Arthabaska for 10 years, warden of Arthabaska MRC, and president of the Centre du Québec region wardens committee.

Claude Bachand was also president of the Arthabaska MRC Development Committee, a board member of the Bois-Francs Economic Development Corporation, the Quebec Federation of Municipalities and the Centre-du-Québec regional Co-operation and Development Council. He is a founding member of the first Training Centre for Business and Recuperation, CFER Normand-Maurice.

Claude Bachand was MNA for Arthabaska from 2003 to 2007, and was appointed as member of the Social Affairs Committee and vice-president of the Economy and Labour Committee.

Reelected MNA for Arthabaska on December 8, 2008, he is Vice-chair of the Committee on Institutions until February 2011. He is now Chair of the Committee on Public Finance and Member of the Committee on the National Assembly. He is also a member of the Parliamentary Confederation of the Americas (PCOA), the National Assembly Delegation for relations with Bavaria (DANRBA) and the National Assembly Delegation for Relations with the French-language Community of the Belgian region of Wallonia (DANRB).