Many households in Canada sank even further into debt in 2009, forming the highest debt-to-income ratio ever witnessed in Canada, according to The Vanier Institute of the Family's annual assessment on the Current State of Canadian Family Finances released Tuesday.

A new study on Canadian family finances revealed that the average household debt jumped to $96,000 last year, outlining a debt-to-income ratio of 145 per cent in 2009, the biggest level ever recorded by the annual study, now in its 11th year.

In addition, the report reflected that 59 per cent of respondents revealed they would land in a problem if their pay-cheque was delayed by even a week, while, 70 per cent of women with young children and a working spouse claimed they were working outside the home.

The study cites personal debt as an emerging menace, with a 50 per cent increase in mortgages running 90 days or more in arrears in 2009 compared to a year before.

Moreover, there was a 40 per cent jump in the number of credit card holders who were at least three months behind in their payments.