Admission is generally for up to two years at a time, and the visa itself may be valid longer depending on reciprocity. Renewal depends on the business continuing to qualify, so the planning starts with the business plan filed at the outset, which becomes the yardstick at each review.
The first application sets the standard the renewals are judged against
An E-2 visa for a Canadian is issued for a validity period set by reciprocity, and each entry grants a period of stay, typically two years, that can be renewed by re-entry on a valid visa or by extension inside the United States. At each renewal the business must still meet the requirements: treaty ownership, the investor's direction, real operations and non-marginality. Hypothetical example: a Sainte-Brigitte-de-Laval contractor's initial business plan projects hiring three employees within two years; at the first renewal the company has one.
The consular officer will compare the plan with payroll records, and an unexplained gap raises the marginality question again. Plan the sequence accordingly: sign with escrow, commit the funds, file, close on issuance, then run the business to the plan and keep payroll, tax and contract records organized for the next review. Do not sell Canadian property or end Québec employment before issuance.