Businesses and communities on Newfoundland's Northern Peninsula say Parks Canada job cuts will harm local economies.

Federal budget cuts mean nine jobs have been eliminated and a total of 47 employees in the area will be affected.

"A lot of those people have tremendous knowledge of the geology, ecology of the area and they are a great resource and we are going to lose them,” said Reg Williams, the owner a boat-tour based in Rocky Harbour.

Williams said some of the nine who have lost their jobs were people he called when tourists had specific questions about the park.

The national historic site in Port au Choix is one of the areas affected by the cuts.

The season there will now be five weeks shorter.

"We've been working very hard over the years to extend what we call the shoulder season and these cuts, especially in Port au Choix five weeks is...well, devastating" said Port au Choix Mayor Carolyn Lavers.

She says Parks Canada had been investing money in the historic site there, working hard to attarct more visitors.

The historic site will remain open but it won’t be staffed with Parks Canada guides for five weeks of the tourist season.

Port au Choix was designated a National Historic Site of Canada because it includes a large cemetery that consisted of well-preserved remains of the Maritime Archaic culture whose people were buried there. The site is located on what was an island about 4,400 to 3,300 years ago.