An Alberta man who pleaded guilty to causing a crash that killed four workers from the Philippines in March 2012 was sentenced Friday to 6½ years in prison.

Tyler James Stevens, 30, was convicted earlier of four counts of criminal negligence causing death and one count of criminal negligence causing bodily harm in the crash near Innisfail, Alta., on March 4.

Anthony Subong Castillon, 35, Joey Flores Mangonon, 35, Eden Dalu Biazon, 39, and Josefina Flores Velarde, 52, were killed when a Range Rover travelling the wrong way in the southbound lanes of the QE II Highway slammed head-on into their vehicle.

Stevens cried and apologized to the families in the courtroom.

"I'm so sorry for the pain I caused you all," he said.

The four victims were temporary foreign workers living in Edmonton who were driving to the U.S. border so Josephine Tamondong — the only person in the vehicle to survive the crash — could re-enter Canada as a permanent resident.

Earlier on Friday, family members read victim impact statements to the court in Red Deer, Alta.

"The only thing I want to be is with my mom. To hug her," said John Blazon, whose mother Eden died in the crash. "The only inspiration in my life is gone."

Jea Mell Mangonon lost her brother Joey.

"I have lost the most important person in my life," Mangonon said. "Joey was my everything."

Stevens also faced charges of impaired driving causing death and impaired driving causing bodily harm but Crown prosecutor Anders Quist said he pleaded guilty to the more serious charges.

"Alcohol was a factor here, Mr. Stevens' ability to drive was impaired by alcohol," Quist said outside the courthouse.

"This wasn't a lesser guilty plea at all. He pleaded guilty to the most serious charges on the information."

The judge gave Stevens credit for the 24 days he spent in custody. He was also given a six-year driving ban which will start after he is released from prison.

With files from the CBC's Scott Fralick and the Canadian Press