Trade Winds Named to 2011 TSX Venture Top 50 Companies - Ranked 9th in Mining

_{Vancouver, BC, February 15, 2011 - Trade Winds Ventures Inc. (TSX-V: TWD, FSE: TVR) (�Trade Winds� ) is pleased announce that it has been named to the 2011 TSX Venture 50, a ranking of strong performing companies listed on TSX Venture Exchange.}

_{The 2011 TSX Venture 50 is comprised of ten companies from each of five sectors; Clean Technology, Mining, Oil & Gas, Diversified Industries, and Technology & Life Sciences. The 2011 TSX Venture 50 companies were chosen based on the following criteria, with equal weighting assigned to each: share price appreciation, trading volume, market capitalization growth and analyst coverage.}

_{According to TSX Venture statistics, Trade Winds experienced a 607% growth in capitalization during 2010, and achieved the second highest trading volume of the top ten Mining sector companies, trading over 155 million shares during 2010.}

_{John McCoach, President, TSX Venture Exchange, said "Our market provides a unique growth opportunity for early stage companies, and we are very pleased to celebrate the success of these issuers."}

_{An event will be held March 31, 2011 to celebrate the 2011 TSX Venture 50. Awards will be presented to the Top 50 companies, and brief presentations will be made by representatives from the top company in each sector. The event will also feature a panel of sector analysts who will discuss recent industry trends. The event will conclude with a networking reception.}

_{Ian Lambert, CEO and President of Trade Winds, stated �We are honoured to be recognized in this way by the TSX Venture Exchange, and look forward to continuing to further enhance value for our shareholders as we advance our gold project on the Detour Lake Block A property toward feasibility.�}

_{About TMX Group (TSX-X)}

_{TMX Group's key subsidiaries operate cash and derivative markets for multiple asset classes including equities, fixed income and energy. Toronto Stock Exchange, TSX Venture Exchange, Montreal Exchange, Natural Gas Exchange, Boston Options Exchange (BOX), Shorcan, Equicom and other TMX Group companies provide trading markets, clearing facilities, data products and other services to the global financial community. TMX Group is headquartered in Toronto with offices in Montreal, Calgary and Vancouver. For more information about TMX Group, visit their website at www.tmx.com.}

_{ABOUT TRADE WINDS VENTURES INC.}

_{Trade Winds Ventures Inc. is a Canadian gold exploration and development company focused, as operator, on advancing its Detour Lake properties to the feasibility study stage. The Block A 50% JV and adjacent 100% owned Gowest properties are located in the Detour Lake Mining District, north of the prolific gold mining camp of Timmins, Ontario, Canada. Currently, a 30,000 metre drill program is underway on Block A. The latest in-pit mineral resource estimate announced December 30, 2010 as prepared by WGM is shown in the table below.}

_{The parameters and methodology utilized to produce this mineral resource estimate are described in Trade Winds� December 30, 2010 press release. The material in this news release has been reviewed by Stephen Wallace, P. Geo, VP Exploration, a Qualified Person as defined in NI 43-101.}

_{FOR FURTHER INFORMATION PLEASE CONTACT:}

_{Ian D. Lambert, CEO/President (604) 648-6225}

_{Terry McGee, Investor Relations Toll Free (866) 698-9187 ext 228 or (604) 648-6228}

_{Email: info@tradewindsventures.com Visit our Website at www.tradewindsventures.com}

^{Forward Looking Information}

^{Certain information included in this news release constitutes "forward-looking statements". The words "expect", "will", "intend", "estimate" and similar expressions identify forward-looking statements. Forward-looking statements are necessarily based upon a number of estimates and assumptions that, while considered reasonable by management, are inherently subject to significant business, economic and competitive uncertainties and contingencies. The Company cautions the reader that such forward-looking statements involve known and unknown risks, uncertainties and other factors that may cause the actual results, performance or achievements of the Company to be materially different from the Company's estimated future results, performance or achievements expressed or implied by those forward-looking statements and the forward-looking statements are not guarantees of future performance. These risks, uncertainties and other factors include, but are not limited to, risks associated with the mining industry such as government regulation, environmental and reclamation risks, title disputes or claims, success of mining activities, future commodity prices, costs of production, possible variation in mineral reserves, mineral resources, grade or recovery rates, failure of plant, equipment or processes to operate as anticipated, accidents, labour disputes, the timing of estimated future production, capital expenditures, financial market fluctuations, requirements for additional capital, conclusions of economic evaluations, limitations on insurance coverage, risks associated with using third-party contractors and inflation. The Company disclaims any intention or obligation to update or revise any forward-looking statements whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise, except as required by applicable law.}

^{Information Concerning Estimates of Mineral Resources}

^{This news release uses the terms 'indicated' and 'inferred' resources. The Company advises investors that although these terms are recognized and required by Canadian regulations (under NI 43-101 Standards of Disclosure for Mineral Projects), the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission does not recognize them. Investors are cautioned not to assume that any part or all of the mineral deposits in these categories will ever be converted into reserves. In addition, 'inferred resources' have a great amount of uncertainty as to their existence, and economic and legal feasibility. It cannot be assumed that all or any part of an inferred mineral resource will ever be upgraded to a higher category. Under Canadian rules, estimates of inferred mineral resources may not form the basis of feasibility or pre-feasibility studies, or economic studies except for Preliminary Assessment as defined under NI 43-101. Investors are cautioned not to assume that part or all of an inferred resource exists, or is economically or legally mineable.}

^{THE TSX VENTURE EXCHANGE HAS NOT REVIEWED AND DOES NOT ACCEPT RESPONSIBILITY FOR THE ADEQUACY OR ACCURACY OF THE CONTENT OF THIS PRESS RELEASE.}