The "zoo" as you call it, is known as the Biodome. My kids love it.
*For perspective, I go to Montreal multiple times a year for decades now, and I only went to the biodome once as an adult. If I lived there, I would probably take my kids.
Gotta disagree with the pricing thing though. A quick Google search tells me San Diego zoo is about USD$60/day. NY Botanical Garden is USD$22 (~CAD$28) for the day. The Biodome is CAD$21 (~USD$16.50).