A man who killed three people while driving drunk near Whistler, B.C. has been sentenced to eight years behind bars.

The judge had strong words for Samuel Alec during his sentencing hearing Friday, describing the driver's condition at the time of the May 2015 collision as not just impaired, but "grossly impaired."

The court heard Alec, who had been convicted for drunk driving several times before, had a blood alcohol level roughly three times the legal limit when he plowed into a group of cyclists on Highway 99.

Two of them, Ross Chafe and Kelly Blunden, were killed, as was Paul Pierre, a good friend of Alec’s who was in the passenger seat of the vehicle.

Given Alec's history, the judge imposed a 15-year driving ban on top of the prison sentence, which will amount to six years after credit for time already served.

Crown had asked for an 18-year driving ban and a 12-year sentence, which the defence noted would have been the longest-ever handed to someone convicted for impaired driving causing death in Canada.

Alec's lawyer, Paul McMurray, instead argued for a sentence of two years less a day, plus three years' probation.

The driver had a troubled life, the court heard. His mother, Georgina Alec, testified that she was a survivor of physical and sexual abuse in the residential school system, and that it had a profound impact on her son.

After Friday's sentencing, family friend Roger Lampid said the devastating crash had a wide-reaching impact in the community.

"It's harsh on everyone. I feel bad for the court even, for the tough position to make a hard, hard decision." Lampid said. "A lot of hurt on both sides."

During a previous sentencing hearing in March, Alec wept in front of the families of the three men he killed, telling them he took full responsibility for his actions.

"This is by far the biggest mistake I have ever made," he said. "I apologize. I am sorry."

In her victim impact statement, the wife of Kelly Blunden addressed Alec directly, saying she has not been able to bring herself to wash her husband's dirty clothes.

"I do not walk in your shoes," she said, "but I do pray that your demons will not be able to hurt another family."

With a report from CTV Vancouver’s Nafeesa Karim and files from The Canadian Press